Kuraun Hunters!
by Hikatokage
Summary: The sequel to -Disheartening Memories- Our beloved Hunters venture forward to unknown lands in order to solve a mysterious problem, they'll experience many hardships and situations that will test the bonds they forged with one another. Story contains: Romance, Friendship, Conflicts, Adventure, and Lore.
1. Chapter 1: A New Adventure

**AN: Hello everyone! And welcome to the sequel of "Disheartening Memories" - Yes this is a sequel and if you would like to know who these characters are, or the plot of the story, I recommend reading the story I mention above - with that out of the way, I hope everyone enjoys this story of mine.  
These chapters are a bit longer than the ones in Disheartening Memories, so make sure to take breaks in between if you need so! (However, I will say that this story is way better than my previous one that I recently mention. This is due to me having more experience now, just keep in mind that if you do go and read the prequel; you'll be reading words of little old me, haha.)**

 ** _Disclaimer: In no way do I claim the Monster Hunter Series as my own, all content goes to their rightful owners._**

* * *

 **Blizzard's POV**

My eyes flutter open, all I could see at first was darkness, however, things became clearer as time passed by – recollection of yesterday's events filled my mind, causing a faint headache to appear.  
Soon enough, I notice the soft breathing behind me and I remembered where exactly I was, my top priority was getting out of bed without waking up Jenny.  
Due to sudden movement and the bed squeaking, Jenny started to mumble and show signs of waking up. I reached over and gently stroke her head, which successfully lullabies her back to sleep, allowing me to leave the room without disturbing her.

Stepping out of Jenny's room, I made sure the door didn't completely close as I made way to my own room – it was now evident that I had a faint hangover as a headache grew stronger by the minute.

I unlock my door and head inside and walk over to the bed. "Sorry, Aegis, time to get up." I shake him lightly at first, but considering how he was hugging my pillow and drooling – the man was currently in a very deep slumber.

I lean forward and hum in his ear. "Aegis, get up."

Aegis' stirs. "Go away, Liz."

I stood there in the darkness, thinking of a way to wake him up easily, then it suddenly dawns on me.

Doing my best not to laugh, I decided to prank him. "I don't mind this position we're in, being hugged by you is fine and all, but I'll like to use the bathroom."

It wasn't long to get a reaction out of him – Aegis shot up in shock and immediately stood up on the other side of the bed, the opposite side of me.

I cover my mouth with my hands as I try to muffle out my laughter.

"B-Blizzy!? What the hell..!" Aegis exclaims.

I soon calm down. "Don't worry, you were hugging a pillow, I just couldn't wake you up," I explain.

He nods a bit annoyed but quickly regains composure. "Ah! My head hurts, what time is it?" Aegis questions me as he holds his head in pain.

"Almost dawn, get your stuff, so we can leave," I tell him.

Aegis nods. "Sure, I packed my stuff before the party, just need to head down to my room and get my bags." He explains calmly.

"Understood, mind getting the guys as well? I need to go back and wake up Jenny."

Aegis nods and heads to the door. "I'll see ya in a couple of minutes then." He soon starts walking down the hallway.

I lock my room and head back to Jenny's dorm, luckily she was already awake, Jenny was grabbing all of her stuff and changing out of her pajamas.

"Momo, wake up." I let my voice ring through the room, which also alerted Jenny of my presence.

"Hey, is this bag yours or mine?" Jenny quickly asked me and pointed at a white bag.

"It's mine, just put it there and I'll grab it in a sec." I open the bathroom after getting today's clothing.

As I changed, I could already hear movement outside – it sounded like Jenny was moving around a rather large weapon. "Are you okay?"

"Yea, just moving this hammer" Her voice was muffled due to the walls between us.

Upon stepping out of the bathroom, I felt someone hug my leg. "Morning, Momo," I said as I looked down with a smile.

"Morning, Meowster!" The small felyne happily replied.

"Let's go, Liz." Jenny had two bags – one on each arm – and had the hammer hanging behind her waist.

Momo climbs up to my shoulder as I bend down and grab La-Falla – which I quickly strap on my arm like a normal Sword & Shield – giving my left arm the ability to grab any leftover bags.

We step out of the dorm and into the hallway.

"You can go ahead, I'll catch up," Jenny tells me in a monotone voice as she focuses on closing the door.

After reaching outside, I notice all the guys were waiting for us at a bench near the courtyard's fountain.

"Morning." I greet the boys quietly.

"Shhh." Lucas and Raito groan as they rub their heads.

A large man known as Wayland laughs loudly – much to Lucas' and Raito's agony. "Morning there, young Blizzard!" Wayland seemed to not have any sort of hangover.

I waved back without a word since I felt bad for my friends.

"Everyone is set, where is Jenny?" Aegis walked up to me and said quietly.

I look back at the Guild's entrance and responded. "She was right behind me," Jenny appeared after I said that. "There she is, we can move out now." I turn back to Aegis.

Raito sighs as he sees everyone's ready to go, he gestures to follow him and we do so in silence – especially since everyone is fairly tired so no one decided to speak as we follow Raito.

* * *

The trip took us some time, the sun was already above the horizon and told us it was around two hours after dawn, fortunately, the guys recovered from their hangover upon arriving at Dundorma's Airship Center.

The headquarters was located in the outskirts of Dundorma, grassy plains and constant wind blowing was the first thing we notice upon reaching this area – the only thing that indicated where to find this Airport was a large building sitting in the middle of nowhere.

"Ryoku, mind getting the captain?" Raito tells me as he hands me a ticket.

"Sure," I take the ticket and left my belongings with Jenny.

The building that controlled the entire Aircraft traffic was rather large, roughly the same size of our guild but had two extra floors. There was already a couple of Airships doing test flights, while other vessels rested on the grassy fields, around the building.

Once I enter said building, two guards greet me and welcomed me to proceed.

' _They look like Hunters actually, well, I guess they do get some wildlife problems every now and then, out here.'_

I stood in front of the counter and rang a small table bell, which caught the attention of a worker.

"Good morning, ma'am!" The young girl bows slightly before continuing. "What can I do for you?"

I hand her the ticket Raito gave me. "I'm here to get our captain for today's flight."

The girl inspects the ticket and nods. "One air vessel and a captain, coming right up!"

"Thank you," I was about to leave – but she caught my attention again.

"Excuse me ma'am, but your Vessel is number four, under the name of Captain Syhr, thank you for using our airline service!" She says with a smile and one final bow.

I gave her my final words of gratitude and left the building. My friends saw me as I approached them.

"Did you find our captain and vessel?" Raito asked me.

"Yup, vessel number four, and I guess we should find the ship and wait for the captain in front of it," I explain to the group.

They nod and start picking up their bags, I do the same and follow behind as we go over to the grassy plains where various airships were stationed.  
After a few seconds of searching, we finally spot the large Vessel. It was rather huge, containing two pairs of ballista – one pair for each side – and also had a Huntergong along with a Dragonator at the front.

"Impressive." Lucas voices out everyone's thoughts.

"Yea, It'll be two entire days that we'll be in the air in order to reach Yselz," Raito explains. "We run the risk of running into flying wyverns until we reach the Great-Defense."

I look back at the Vessel. "The paint job is rather astonishing,"

It was painted in a mixture of red and gold, with the Dundorma symbols – the sunlight made the golden paint shine with great beauty.

"Ahoy!"

We all turn in the direction the voice came from – which was behind us – it belonged to a rather old looking man, around the same age group as Wayland, and he was wearing a long blue coat, glasses, and a scarf.

' _He looks just like a pirate,'_ I smile as I picture the man with a pet bird on his shoulder.

"So you're my crew for now? Fantastic!" The man exclaims with such energy that I believe it rivals Jenny. "I see amazing hunters in front of me already!"

"Indeed, we're the group that will be passaging this vessel," Raito tells the man.

"Very well, my name is Syhr, S-y-h-r! Not to be confused with Sire, S-i-r-e! But either one works, Hahaha!" The man practically yells when he talks.

"I like this guy already!" Jenny says with excitement.

Everyone else seemed a bit worried, basically thinking why we got a crazy captain.

Syhr heads to the vessel and opens the hatch that leads into the interior of the ship.

"Alright, Hunters, this here will be your room!" Syhr gestures to the wide convoy.

It had a large bed, tables, and chairs, with a few boxes that most likely the boys transferred over.

"Also, everything is nailed to the floor, except the chairs, you might want to keep a close eye for those fellas!" Syhr crackles at his own little warning.

"I'll be on the main deck preparing the vessel" Syhr shouts as he climbs out of view.

We all stood there in silence at first, but Wayland broke the ice. "He's a rather colorful individual."

"Yup." We all say in unison.

"So, we're all sleeping together?" I ask them as I see there is only one large bed, big enough for ten people or a bit more.

"Guess so." Lucas answers.

"I want the far right side!" Jenny calls out and proceeds to pack her stuff in one of the boxes.

I just shrug and go store my stuff as well.

"I'll sleep next to Jenny," I call out my spot. "You guys stay on the far left."

After everything was neatly organized, I walked over to the stairs that lead outside and into the main deck above us.

"Make sure to stand clear from the left and right side of the vessel!" Syhr yells from the steering wheel.

I made sure to stand clear of both sides as the vessel rumbled, slowly but surely, both sides sprouted wings that would allow this large ship to soar through the sky.

"Alright! Looks like everything is ready to go!" Syhr yells.

Syhr walks down from the steering wheel and onto the main deck.

"Tell your friends to hold onto something, I'll do some last preparations and fly this beauty back into the air where she belongs!" Syhr commands me.

As I walk to the stairs, I bump into Jenny who greeted me with a smile. "Tell everyone down below that we've to hold onto something."

Jenny nods and heads back down to the Middle deck.

"Yoho! Captain said to hold onto something!" Jenny exclaims in a rather weird accent, most likely trying to mimic a pirate.

The guys follow us up the main deck, and then we head up the stairs where syhr was currently steering and pulling different levers, which positioned the wings at the right angle for lift off.  
His position as captain looked rather complex, there were five levers on each side of the steering wheel, all of which were being used in order to activate some sort of contraption that was out of view.

"Alright, Hunters, hold onto something or someone!" Syhr repeats himself.

I held onto Jenny shoulders, who was currently holding onto a wooden fence – the boys held onto another section of the fence nearby.

Captain Syhr pulls a lever and the flamethrower lets out a Rathalos like-roar, the balloon above our heads starts increasing in size.

The vessel starts shaking but it soon starts elevating. "We have now lift off!" Syhr shouts.

I let go of Jenny and instead held onto the fence, I look down at the building below us and watched it get smaller and smaller.  
After a couple of minutes we are near the clouds and still ascending, as I look out towards the distance, the Elder hall was now in view.

"Whoa, It's only at these moments that you feel small!" Jenny shouts above the blowing wind.

I agree with her, the world is indeed large. "The open sky is also amazing, it shows no limits!" I shout back as I did a ponytail out of my hair.

"Harhar! It's the main reason why I love the sky! It's just an endless field of freedom!" Syhr's voice was clear as day, it was now obvious why the man shouted at all times.

The constant wind blowing against my skin was starting to get annoying, which made me consider getting my coat.

"Hehe, this trip is going to be amazing!" Jenny exclaims happily.

Jenny hasn't been on a large airship like this one before, but she sure is excited to be on one.

The ship starts shaking less as we reach the max altitude, Syhr told us it was fine to walk around the ship now.

I decided to walk over to Raito and see if he was feeling better. "How's your headache?"

"Better, especially now that you talked to me." He grins playfully.

I just pinch the bridge of my nose. "Glad to see you're indeed feeling better."

"I can also say the same, you truly scared me when I heard about your illness." He pats my head lightly.

I slap his hand away. "Stop treating me like a little girl."

Raito just chuckles, but his face turns serious as he stares out to the horizon.

I tilt my head slightly. "Is there something you wish to talk about?" I ask Raito as I stand next to him.

I stare at the horizon as well, taking in the beautiful view of the clouds, blue sky, and mountains.

The man next to me stands in silence, only the sound of howling wind and Jenny's laughter – she was most likely scaring the hell out of Lucas – can be heard.

"You don't have to worry about me, Ryoku. I'm truly fine." Raito says flatly.

I let out a sigh. "We both know that isn't true, It has been bothering you the day we read that letter," I reveal my awareness.

Raito, however, didn't flinch. "Ryoku, I just don't feel like this whole trip is a good idea. I feel like we are wandering into a trap." Raito admits as his grip on the fence tightens.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," I tell him gently.

Raito looks at me in the eyes. "It isn't 'we' that I'm worried about, I'm concerned for your life and health."

I tilt my head in confusion, but I soon reassure him with a smile. "I won't die, I promise."

"Yes, and I'll make sure that promise doesn't break, even if it'll cost me my life." Raito held a tight grip on Arashi's handle – sacred blade that was hanging on his waist.

"I've told you countless times, you don't owe me your life, I saved the village and all of its people out of good will." I decided to remind him why I saved his people in the first place.

Raito just smiles upon hearing my words. "That is exactly why I'm adamant about protecting you, I'm doing it out of goodwill – because I want to, not because I owe you."

I stood there, thinking about how to respond to his words – we usually had this same argument every now and then, and it would result in Raito using the same words.

"Just don't get yourself killed, please..." I look down at my hands, the same ones that failed my brother.

Raito lays his hand on top of mine and gives a strong reassuring squeeze. "I know what you're thinking, know that I'm here for you and I won't allow history to repeat itself."

I shake his hand away lightly. "I know, I just can't help it sometimes – but I'm grateful for your help." Raito was my strongest pillar of support when it came to this type of problem that lingered inside of me.

"Of course, I did promise to treat you like a princess after all." The man grins.

"Sure, just stop being stupid," I responded with a straight face.

Raito blinks for a bit before responding. "I'm afraid that I been cursed by your unholy powers of beauty, that is the reason for my undying stupidity." He then proceeds to do a dramatic pose – his backhand was placed on his forehead.

"I'm close to shoving you off this ship," I repeat an old inside joke between us.

"Oh gods, I still remember the day you first said that, in fact, you almost did throw me off the ship." Raito laughs upon remembering the distant memory.

I giggle along with his laughter – after we calmed down, Raito decided to ask me a question I was already expecting.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yea, thank you, like always," I say with a bright smile.

Raito looks behind us after noticing something. "Hey, is Lucas going to be alright?"

"What do you mean?" I turn and look where Raito was pointing at.

At first glance, it was just Jenny and Aegis dragging a white bag towards the edge of the ship, Syhr was apparently laughing at the whole scene.  
It was when they started tieing the bag to a rope when I realized who was missing and what Raito meant by Lucas being in danger.

"LUCAS!" I ran over to the pair.

* * *

 _ **Inside the Ship**_

"I can't believe you both! You don't go around and put someone in a bean bag and then almost throw them off a ship!" I yell angrily at the duo before me.

"Jenny, I can understand! But you?!" I point at Aegis who was currently looking down in shame. "I thought you were mature!" I scold him.

As I scold both of them, Lucas is hiding behind me, still a bit shaken from the event.

"See through it, that this doesn't happen again," I say with a heavy tone. "Do I make myself clear?" I ask them, but I only received nods.

"I said ... DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" I yell at them.

"Y-yes, ma'am!" Both of them yell in unison.

I let out a loud sigh and made my way back to the main deck. I find Raito leaning near a wooden wall, sheltered from the wind.

"So, how did it go?" Raito calls out as I go and lean next to him.

"If monsters don't get Lucas killed, those two will – I mean seriously, who throws someone off.., ugh forget it." I decided to drop the topic.

"You sound like a mother scolding her children." Raito snickers, lucky for him, I just decide to let it slide.

I change the topic. "Now that I realize it, there's nothing else to do on this ship but stare at the clouds." I look upwards, but the hot air balloon prevents me from staring at the sky above us.

"You can always meditate," Raito lightly suggested.

I think about it for a bit – it did sound like a good idea. "Would you mind joining me then?"

"Of course not, milady." His formal way of addressing me was just another way of annoying me.

' _I swear, I'm going to get Jenny and actually allow someone to get thrown off this vessel.'_

Half the day went by after taking small naps, eating, or just talking for a couple of hours. Things were starting to get really boring after we stared at the clouds and open sky for what seemed forever, truly, only those with a strong passion will be able to handle doing this for their entire life.

"Syhr said it will get very cold once the sun sets." Aegis remark.

"He's correct, we only have about an hour left or so of sunlight," Lucas stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Ugh, I don't like the cold one bit…" Jenny muttered to herself, she was wearing a rather large coat already.

"Don't worry, It won't be 'that' cold, just a bit chilly," Raito reassured her.

I didn't bother putting on the coat I bought back in Dundorma, I'll most likely use it for when it's snowing.

Raito approaches me in his usual attire, he always wore a black coat with golden symbols on his back and sleeves. "Bit cold, isn't it."

"The wind constantly blowing does get a bit annoying after awhile," I responded.

"At the same time, the sunset is rather astonishing – it gives me a warm sensation and the energy to keep fighting," Raito mutters to himself as we stared off into the distance.

"Still doesn't change the fact that the wind is annoying me," I remark my previous statement.

Raito holds in a chuckle. "It has also been boring, we should have brought some training weapons."

Silence washes over us, it was a normal thing for us – especially since we been around each other for almost a year. Raito was the type to observe and adjust himself to the mood around him, and I was the kind of person to always listen closely and did my best to not disturb others.

After a few minutes, I decided to speak up. "Let me ask you one final question before we reach Yselz."

"I'm all ears." Raito turned to look at me.

"Will you truly risk your life for me?" I needed to know, especially for this mysterious journey.

Raito stood there in silence, I could tell he was going to be serious for once. "I've prepared myself to do so for almost a year, you saved hundreds of lives – lives that I would had failed to save if it wasn't for you."

"And you said this was purely out of free will, correct?"

"Of course," Raito smiled.

"Then I'll ask a favor, in exchange for the lives that I saved," I tell him with a serious tone as I stare at the sunset.

Raito didn't respond, but he seemed distant for some reason – as if something caught his attention.

Deciding to ignore this, I continued speaking. "Protect those who I hold dear, I don't need your protection and I never will, however, Lucas and Jenny aren't as experience; I need you to keep an eye on them – especially Aegis, who is a Half-Blood."

"Surely you jest-"

I cut him off. "No, I'm completely serious. Or do you plan on going back on your word?"

"Blizzard, you know full-well that I'm going to reject this favor, why would I risk my life for complete strangers."

' _I wasn't expecting you to accept, I just want you to see how fragile your ideology is.'_

"Exactly, I was nothing more than a stranger when you set this goal of yours; what makes this any different." I knew I was being harsh, and I also knew that his reasoning had little to no flaws.

"The difference is simple, I won't hesitate to kill any of your 'beloved' friends – if they dare stay in my way, I'll see through it to take them down."

"Really now..?" Raito didn't mean any of the words he just said, but there was something odd with how he said it, especially the last part.

"I meant every word." Raito had a look of pain as if every word he said was destroying his morals.

' _Hmm, we're being spied on... Great, just what are they planning?'_ I shift my eyes, trying to see any signs of someone near us. ' _Once we get off this ship, I'll have to isolate Raito and speak with him.'_

"I'm heading off to bed, think about what I said – I rather not repeat myself." Raito excused himself before leaving.

' _A simple translation of what he said; I'm misleading them, make sure you get what I'm doing.'_

I had many questions, but I did my best to act normal – I just don't get why they're doing this, are we being lead into some sort of trap, or are they testing us? Everything was completely unclear.

A sigh escapes my mouth as I turn and start walking towards the steering wheel.

Captain Syhr was controlling the ship still, so I decided to start up a conversation with him.

"Evening captain." I present myself to Syhr.

"Ah, hello young lady."

' _Ah that's right, I haven't told him my full name._ '

"Pardon for not introducing myself earlier, my name is Blizzard Ishi'ryoku, but people usually call me Blizzy or Liz." I introduce myself to the man.

"Ah, your name is quite ancient, Blizzard." He states. "But my name is Captain Syhr, heh but you already knew that." Syhr booms out with his energetic voice.

"Indeed, the meaning of my name has only been remembered by my family," I explain to the large man.

"Hahaha, so you're from the ancient family line – more so if your name means willpower!" He says with no hesitation, I was shocked to hear he knew.

"Mind telling me how you learned such a language?" I ask him politely.

"Well you see, when you take countless hunters back and forth, you learn a thing or two!" Syhr laughs.

"One does not simply learn a language by just listening," I state out.

"You're correct! I actually was a researcher back in my days, in other words, it was natural for me to learn such a thing." He explains.

 _'A researcher huh, that's rather interesting'_

"Captain, will you be awake the entire night?" I ask Syhr.

"Yes ma'am, I won't be taking a nap anytime soon." Syhr kept his focus on the steering wheel as he said this.

"Do you mind if I stay awake with you for the remainder of the night?" I ask Syhr for his permission.

"Hmm… Well, if you don't fall asleep, then sure, we have a deal!"

"I mostly want to talk about what you have seen lately ..." I explain the situation to Syhr in a low tone – I told him everything about how Yselz been acting and why we are heading there, and most importantly, about the letter.

He takes in the information quite seriously, not interrupting me once during my speech.

"Aye, that sounds fishy." He finally says once I was done explaining. "Look here young Blizzard." He catches my attention.

"I been taking groups of hunters to this said capital more than I could count," He sighs before continuing. "I wait for them since it is in our contract that I would take them back home, but they just never return."

"Missing hunters?" I was disturb by this fact, hunters are the brawn of the guild, the first and final line of defense against all threats vs humanity – hunters just don't 'disappear' out of thin air.

"I usually wait around three days before I head back on my own, however, your friends were smart enough to contract me for six months."

"I see, thank you for the information, Syhr." I thank the man, who just laughs in response.

"Don't worry about it! Now, would you mind listening to this old fool and his stories?" He asked me.

"Go ahead, I have nowhere else to be." I humor him.

* * *

After a few hours of listening to Syhr's history lessons, I got the courage to speak up and bring up a previous topic, I needed someone to tell me if I was right or wrong.

"Syhr, sorry for interrupting you, but I need to know if this whole trip is some sort of trap or not."

The Captain stood there in silence, only the cold breeze and the wood creaking could be heard – it was after Syhr let out a sigh, did he speak up.

"I would be lying if I said no." He responds sincerely. "But I do know that all of you will be fine. Out of all the groups, I flew over to this place called 'Yselz' – this one seems to be the most united."

"I hope everyone will be okay, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if anything were to happen to my friends," I mutter to myself.

"Now, if I may, I would like to ask you a question as well." Syhr was quick to change the topic as if he knew something – something that he couldn't tell me.

' _Not only did Raito notice, but Syhr seems to be aware of the situation as well, however, is he on their side, or on ours.'_ I shrug the thought away for now and told Syhr to go ahead and ask me.

"The cold doesn't bother you, it's quite evident – however, I want to know where you were born."

' _Ugh, if I don't respond sincerely, it'll be painfully obvious that I'm aware of their presence.'_ On the inside, I was panicking, but on the outside, my face was calm and collected like always.

"Pokke, a small village in the Furhiya Mountains to be exact."

Syhr smiles. "Ah, the village where a famous Hunter took down the Ukanlos and stood up to a White Fatalis."

"The very same, sadly that Hunter disappeared without any trace after they left to take out the White Fatalis," I said with a saddened tone, no one really knows what happened to said individual – yet hope still lives on, and some of us believe they are still out there.

"Well, back on topic, I now have a better understanding as to why you're accustomed to the cold." Syhr chuckles lightly, almost scolding himself for not realizing the answer sooner.

Having little knowledge about this topic, I decided to check if I was up to date with it. "It's due to my Full-Blooded heritages and my body adapting to the environment if I'm not mistaken."

Syhr smiles and nods. "You're correct, back in my days as a researcher – the main topic of my studies were about Full-Bloods and Half-Bloods. Unlike Half-Bloods, who take generations in order to grow accustomed to their area of lifestyle, Full-Bloods can achieve this in mere years with intense training."

' _Intense training?'_ Memories of my Father training me endlessly filled my mind. ' _I guess I can forgive him for all the hardships I went through as a child.'_

"So tell me young Blizzard, who trained you in such ways that I can sense great power hiding inside of you." Syhr's question was prying into my personal life, but I was pretty much forced to answer him – due to the given situation.

"My Father, he's the heir of a great line of teachers," I could sense curiosity in Syhr's eyes. "And my Mother was a huntress, but I know little about her – they tell me she died upon giving birth to my Brother and me."

"Ah, so the young man known as Raito is your brother?" Syhr didn't know any better, so I wasn't bothered by it.

I shake my head. "No, my Brother died a few years back." Syhr's eyes widen, but his face grew into one of sympathy. "Don't worry, he lived a great life and I'm sure he is proud of it."

 _'Dying under the Hunter's Mark was not rare, and was almost considered an honor.'_ I always told myself these words, even if it still stung a little.

"That's pretty much it, my family has always been distant from each other – my Father would also never tell us anything about our Mother, only a painting of her was left behind, showing her existence in this world." I stood there in silence, indicating that I was done speaking for now.

"And yet, here you stand – as a leader and a great huntress." Syhr compliments me.

' _Did he know my status due to just living in Dundorma, or ..?'_

Syhr continued speaking. "It always fascinated me how Full-Bloods can master natural elements and grow just like a Wyvern does, for example, if one were to live in the harsh elements of the desert – said Full-Blood would grow immune to both the heat of the day and coldness of the night, and they will also require less water; something that Full-Bloods are famous for needing at all times."

I was confused by this information, normally a Full-Blood would require water every one or two days. "Wait, then how long can a person like that live without water."

Syhr's face grew into a smile, excitement was evident in his voice. "Almost seven days straight, that's two more days than what a Half-Blood can handle – which is amazing by itself, I mean, why would a Half-Blood that is born with the ability to survive with low resources, get outclassed by a desert boy!" Syhr let out a loud crackle.

"Don't ask me, I'm pretty shock by the information myself."

Syhr settles down before continuing. "Lucky for you, but us researchers have a theory behind it. We believe that the dragon blood our ancestors got infected with is responsible for this occurrence, it seems to quickly adjust itself and grant its host more survivability, intelligence, and even grant the user to awaken weapons to their full potential."

I tilt my head as I take in Syhr's words. "Wait, so it's considered an infection?"

"It used to be considered one, now we see it as something natural, however, back in the days it was a disease that killed thousands, maybe even millions." Syhr takes a moment to steer the ship properly.

"Wait, I don't get it – how did we get infected?"

Syhr faces turned grim. "The Ancient Civilization,"

"I have only heard myths about them, aren't they the ones who fought against the dragons in the great war?"

"You're correct, but they also lost against said dragons – and went extinct," Syhr explains. "However, in a last ditch effort to pass on their legacy – they infected the human race with a powerful vaccine, one that could bless us with the power to fight and kill dragons."

I had no words for this, my heart sunk and my mind raced with countless questions. " ... "

"Not everyone was infected, thus why we have Full and Half-blooded humans today. A normal human with an infected one would breed the Half-Blooded, and two infected would breed the Full-Blood line."

"... This somewhat explains why the Wyverns and Dragons despise us so much." I concluded with a monotone voice.

Syhr nods. "History is repeating itself slowly, the Ancients hid all of this information and the Elder Dragons are fully aware of our so called 'legacy', the guild is doing everything it can to prevent this – but power will always cloud one's mind, just like it did to the Ancients."

"Are you perhaps talking about the ' _Forbidden Act'?_ " I knew a bit about it, I'm sure Syhr would tell me more.

"Yes, the quote that started it all, **'** _ **In order to create a new life form, another creature would have to lose its life',**_ and thus _The Great Dragon War_ started, and _The Perfect Enemy Against Humanity,_ awoken."

"The Evil Dragon, Fatalis," I mutter.

"The dragons weren't fond of the idea that the Ancients had, killing thousands of their kind just to create an Equal-Dragon, said titan would live longer the more blood it shed. Fatalis was awoken and its hatred was so great against Humanity, that it continues to remember the past of its brethren and copy the forbidden art of The Ancients – this Evil being would melt humans and hunters down and use the fluids as an armor coating, making itself stronger."

I was honestly terrified to think that a creature like this, would mimic something out of pure anger and use our fallen bodies as armor. "But it doesn't exist anymore, at least that's what they say."

"And yet Pokke's hero, fought a White Fatalis not long ago.., ' _ **When the world is full of wyverns, the legend is revived, meat is eaten, bone is crunched.'**_ Another quote that The Ancients left behind."

"You say these creatures have a strong hatred against Humanity, but yet, The Ancients did these evil deeds – not us."

Syhr just shrugs. "We might be very similar to them, the Wyverians say that we do look like the Ancient ones."

"Wyverians... That's right! They protected us and fought in the Great Dragon War. How could I forgot our dearest allies?" I scold myself lightly.

Syhr laughs at my growing curiosity. "Yes! They used to be the size of dragons, but has ever since shrunk in sizes."

"I'm honestly speechless by all of this, our race got infected for the sole reason of avenging a fallen civilization – and the Wyverns and Elder-Dragons are fully aware of this as well," I remark.

"Correct, and this is why Full-Bloods are most likely to be targeted by them – they represent the Ancient Civilization the most, but I believe our race is stronger than them." Syhr chuckles.

I look at Syhr and tilt my head in confusion. "How so?"

Syhr points to the horizon, the sun was rising – dawn has finally arrived. "We coexist with nature, we have Hunters who've mastered all elements of the world – unlike the Ancient ones, we don't need dragons to do our bidding, we have survived with nothing, and we sure as hell won't go extinct like they did!"

Chills went down my spine as I watched the morning sun, the sky was tainted in a beautiful orange color and the clouds seemed to be painted with a brush.

"This is exactly why I don't mind sailing in the sea of clouds. I get to see that beautiful sun every time!" Syhr says happily, almost repeating the same words he said when we first had lift off.

Syhr was right, we see nature for what it is – that is the main difference between us and the Ancient Civilization. "How long till we reach our destination, by the way."

"We should reach Yselz by midnight!"

"Right," A yawn escapes my mouth. "Ah, pardon me…" I apologize.

Syhr laughs in response. "Go take a nap for the rest of the day, you'll need the energy for when we arrive."

I nod and take his recommendation. "Thank you for the company, Blizzard!" The captain shouts as I left.

Upon entering the lower deck I find a few of the members awake, mainly Lucas and a sleepy Aegis, both enjoying a small snack for breakfast.  
They notice my presence and greeted me with a smile, Aegis offered me food but I reject it – for I was far too tired.

I fall onto the bed and I quickly fall asleep...

* * *

"Ryoku... Wake up." A voice in the distance caused my eyes to flutter open.

My eyes focused on a blue eyed swordmaster. "Raito, What time is it..?" I ask him as I sat up.

"Almost midnight, let me get you some food and water."

I rub my eyes and did a few stretches before standing up. "Thank you." I sat down at a table where he prepared a small meal.

"We have also reached the Great-Defense, Captain Syhr ordered everyone to stand on the main deck." He filled me in with what I missed as I ate in silence.

After finishing my food, I spoke up. "Alright, let's head up there then,"

After entering the main deck, I notice we are flying inside a large ravine, upon closer inspection – one could see small fortresses on the mountain-sides.

"Hey, Blizzy." Lucas walks up next to me and greets me.

"Is this Yselz territory?" I asked him.

"Yea, we are currently flying through the borders," Lucas says as he points at the buildings on the mountains. "Those are sentries, they shoot anything that doesn't have a permission of flying through."

Right, this territory is completely own by the Kingdom of Yselz. Monsters only reach a certain distance before getting completely shot down. In the books that I read, this place is known as – the 'Great bōgyo', or better known as 'The Great Defense.'  
It's said that thousands of men work day and night in this place, watching over the entire mountain that Yselz is placed on top of.

Watching over the thousands of fortresses with ballista's ready to shoot on command, was nothing but astonishing; the buildings are lighting up the road ahead of us with their lanterns – which are powered by Fulgurbugs.

"Let's go over to the captain, shall we?" Lucas gestures to Syhr's location.

Raito and I nod and we follow Lucas, everyone else was also there, Momo was quick to run up to me and place herself on my shoulder.  
Everyone was pretty much amazed at the sight before us, this place showed how our ancestors fought countless monsters in this area and now we are seeing it with our own eyes, what they have accomplished.

Syhr was rather quiet, he was focused on steering the ship as smooth as possible – many sharp rocks were pointing at the edges and threaten to pierce the ship as we flew by.

"I feel a bit nervous…" Jenny says out loud.

Everyone seems to nod in agreement, there was absolutely no turning back now.

"Alright hunters! When we arrive, they will check for your hunter license and permission, so have them ready." Syhr warns us.

Our hunter license is simply our carving knives, while Raito has the permit.

Looking ahead, the ravine was getting smaller – it would force us to fly upwards, close to the mountains hillside. We also couldn't see the summit, a large cloud was obscuring the view.

"Alright! Hold on tight, because it's time to unleash the ' _Sovereign's'_ true potential!" Syhr pulls the lever and the flamethrower heats up the air-balloon at a faster rate, we then begin to fly out of the ravine at a rapid pace.

"Luckily the balloon itself is made out of Rath skins, so it can't lit on fire," Aegis comments as he stares at the flamethrower blasting at full force.

Soon enough we fly into the clouds and our view was completely obscured.

We all held of breaths, the wind blowing and the Airship shaking was haunting our ears, after what seemed an eternity – Syhr spoke up.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome, to Yselz!" As soon as Syhr started laughing the clouds vanish and the view changed into an amazing sight.

There was an entire kingdom on top of an enormous plateau, but at the center of said plateau, was a caldera filled with water – a large castle was sitting in the middle of the lake, only one bridge connected said castle with the shoreline, where the rest of the kingdom sat.

The entire kingdom was shining with what looked like hundreds of lanterns, everyone was truly amazed by the sight.

"We'll be landing shortly at Yselz' Airport," Syhr shouts as the airship starts descending.

"This is it," I voice out softly.

"Don't worry Meowster, I'll protect you!" Momo reassures me.

I smile and gave her my gratitude by scratching her chin. "Raito, you have the permit right?"

"Correct," The swordmaster took out the letter we were given, the same one I decided not to burn.

As he hands it over, I gave it one last glance before folding it up. "Okay everyone, we broke a few rules but I can assure you that everything will be fine."

They all gave me nods and kept their ground as the airship finally landed on Yselz' soils.

When Syhr lowered the bridges, a few knights entered the main deck and started searching our belongings.

"Evening Hunters!" A knight clad in silver plating and a blue cape approached us. "My name is General Zaleo, I would be checking all permissions and licenses."

Zaleo was around my height, and had a battle scar across his left eye – his hair and eyes were brown and his skin tone was tan.

"Greetings, General Zaleo, my name is Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku and I'm the leader of this group." I hand over the paper Yselz had sent me.

Zaleo eyebrows raised upon seeing the paper. "Curious, this paper has the royal seal, and yet you didn't follow the orders that were written on it."

"Hunters don't follow your rules – the only orders we take are from the Guild," I responded with a confident tone.

Zaleo smiles. "Good! We needed a group like yours, I'm sure our King will be pleased." The general clapped twice and every Knight onboard left the ship.

"You're free to wander around the kingdom, please find a safe place to reside in." Zaleo gives me a small bow before leaving.

I turn to look at my team. "Is everyone alright?"

They all said yes, Wayland was already carrying his belongings. "Time to move out then," I order them.

"Are you joining us Syhr?" I ask the Captain before I left to get my bags.

Syhr shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, this here vessel is my home – we'll see each other again, I'm sure of it."

"Thank you then, it was brave of you to take us here," I said my final goodbyes before leaving.

After carrying our belongings out of the ship, Lucas told us he had a place where we could stay; naturally, he took the lead and we followed closely behind.

The streets were covered in snow, which reminded me of my homeland and how much I enjoyed being near snowy areas. It was distracting me with ease and actually made me a bit happy.

"We'll need to walk through some streets of the kingdom and walk towards the forest side." Lucas' voice draws me out of my trance.

"I thought your parents would live in the city," I said out loud.

Lucas shakes his head. "You'll understand why they don't once we arrive, we're almost there anyways – see that gate that leads into the forest? That leads to their house."

I glance up ahead and indeed there was a gate entrance, the kind that you would see when entering a park or a town.  
As we walk down the forest path, it was rather quiet, only the sound of our footsteps could be heard as we kept walking forward.

After a minute or so, the forest path widens and reveals a courtyard - just beyond the courtyard was a large villa made out of wood and fancy stone pillars supporting the entire structure by holding up the lengthy overhead, above the porch. The building also had a second floor and rooftop that would allow snow to fall off of it with ease.

We step on the porch and stood in front of the main entrance. "Man, they're going to lecture me for this," Lucas mutters as he knocks on the door.

After a few minutes of waiting, the door opens and reveals a maiden that looked very sleepy.

"How can I help you at these hours?" The women asked us as she yawned.

"Hello, I'm back from my adventure," Lucas told the women casually.

She looked up at Lucas for a bit before realizing who it was. "Oh! young Lucas, welcome back! Please come in and of course we have some guests, let me get some tea!" The women started panicking a bit before Lucas calmed her down.

"No need, rest assure we are fine, so please go back to sleep, however, are the guest rooms open?" Lucas calmly asked the women that seemed to be a maid.

"Y-yes of course. They have always been cleaned and ready for any unexpected guests." The maid swiftly said.

The maid excuses herself by bowing and entering a hallway to our left, she was now completely out of sight.

"I'll show everyone their rooms, just follow me and please do not make any loud noises." Lucas looked at Jenny as he said the last part.  
Jenny just sticks her tongue out at Lucas, before giggling to herself.

We went up the stairs that were in front of the entrance, and into a long hallway on the right side of the building before Lucas halted in front of a room.

"Alright, Jenny's room is this one right here and Blizzy's room in front of hers." Lucas points to both doors, Jenny and I nod.

"Raito's should be the room next to Blizzy's, Aegis' next to Jenny's, followed by mine next to Aegis and last but not least, Wayland's room will be next to Raito's." Lucas instructions were clear and no one was complaining, so we all said our goodnights and head into our new rooms.

Moonlight filled the room from the fairly large window that was a few feet away from the bed, I could also see a box of candles and matches on the bedtable. Momo jumped off my shoulder and went underneath the bed.

"Good night, nya!" I could hear her small voice.

I shake my head with a smile and went over to the table. ' _Best to lit up a few candles so I can properly see the room.'  
_  
Once I did so, I could see that the room was larger than I originally foresaw, I could say the same for the bed. There was a table with two chairs, drawers, a mirror, and a bathroom.

I start unpacking my things and placed them neatly into the drawers that I would be using, for now, I was still restless – mostly due to sleeping for an entire day.

' _Gods, I didn't know I was such a heavy sleeper...'_ I was honestly ashamed of myself for staying asleep for more than sixteen hours.

I walk over to the window and decided to open it, which allowed me to stand outside on a balcony. After a few seconds, my neighbor's window opened and Raito stepped out onto his own balcony next to mine.

"Whoa, looks like I can sneak into your room from here." He jokes.

I roll my eyes at his joke. "This isn't a hotel, I can literally find you and kill you."

"I was joking, geez," Raito chuckles. "I assume you're not sleepy."

I shake my head, and stared at the night sky – the winter stars were as bright as ever.

"Hmm, we can walk around the forest if you want."

Raito's suggestion made me look at him with a confused look. "How do you plan on leaving-"

The swordmaster positions himself on the balcony's fence and leaps to a nearby tree branch. "Come on Huntress, isn't this your type of thing?"

"You're absolutely crazy..." A smile creeps up on my face as I leap to Raito's balcony and then onto the tree branch.

We jump down to the snowy ground below and start walking deeper into the forest.

After a couple of minutes, Raito suddenly stops, which causes me to bump into him.

"Ah, sorry." I apologize.

Raito chuckles before pointing up ahead. "What a beautiful sight."

I lean to the side so I could see what's in front of him. The forest had cleared up to an open snowy field, and a large boulder was at the center of it – behind the boulder was the view of the entire lake and the castle. The moon was cascading its light and made the lake shine as if thousands of stars were inside the water.

"Yea, for a second there, all of my worries disappeared," I say softly as I stand next to Raito in order to get a better view.

A sigh escapes his mouth, I can see his breath as he did so. "Speaking of worries, did you get my message when we were back on the ship?"

"Of course, were we truly being spied on?"

"Yes, I fear they were listening for important information, what for – I know as much as you do." Raito closed his eyes and pondered for a bit. "Ah, yes, and about the favor – I will gladly keep an eye on your friends, however, if I had to pick between them and your life, know that I will always pick the latter."

I just shrug. "I guess I just won't ever get in danger."

A chuckle escapes his mouth. "That'll make my job a lot easier,"

"Thank you for everything you've done, I truly mean it." I look at Raito's eyes, highlighting how grateful I was for his hard work.

Raito shakes his head. "I'm not doing this to return a favor. When you came into my life Ryoku – it had a large impact on how I see the world, and I would like to protect that forever."

He then points at the lake. "Without you, I wouldn't be here – and I would still be trapped or maybe even dead. I've come to realize how amazing it is to travel the world and learn so many new things, so know that I'm not here by force, but because you earned my trust and friendship."

I can't help but giggle. "You sound like a dramatic teenager."

"I didn't exactly have a childhood." Raito laughs out.

"Few of us did.., the majority of us are thrown into the world without knowing how to swim in it."

Raito laughs even more. "Who sounds like a dramatic teenager now."

"Alright, you got me there," I admit defeat. "So, what now?"

"Honestly, I really don't know; my mind is racing with different scenarios of what can happen on this trip, so sleeping isn't an option for me." Raito's voice was monotone and I could tell he was in a trance.

"That makes two of us, except my issue is because I slept for so long," I said a bit embarrass.

Raito blinks and starts laughing. "Oh, right! Man, you're such a heavy sleeper, who in the world can sleep for fifteen hours straight!"

I let out a groan as I look around. "Shhh, someone will hear us." I scold him for shouting.

"Fine, fine. Look let's just go back to the villa and try to get some sleep, it's getting cold out here – not that you would know." Raito smirks as he turns and walks back down the trail we created with our footsteps.

I chase after him. "Stop being mean, it's not my fault I was born in Pokke!"

* * *

 **AN:** Hey we reached the end! And time for me to introduce our new character - which was created by a supporter/good friend of mine - Captain Syhr.

Eye color: Light Brown.  
Hair color: Blonde. (He only has a beard, so yes, he's bald.)  
Height: 6'0  
Skin tone: Light

As for Zaleo, I'm pretty sure I created him... Can't seem to remember since I wrote this part a year ago xP

Eye color: Brown  
Hair color: Brown  
Height: 5'11  
Skin tone: Tan

Ah, and for the uniform/armor that the knights are wearing, it's the Alloy armor, except for Zaleo who had the relic version - the one with the long cape.  
That should be it for now!


	2. Chapter 2: The Thunderous Peak

**AN: Glad this chapter got out when it did, I'm doing my best to get my original schedule back in place, it sadly got messed up when I posted the new arc (This story right here) after finishing -Disheartening Memories-  
** **  
Alright, time for the disclaimer!**

 _ **In no way do I claim the Monster Hunter Series as my own, all content goes to their rightful owner. Please support the original creators of Monster Hunter.**_

* * *

 _Blizzard's POV_

I woke up a few hours after dawn, the sunlight creeping through my large window kept disturbing me as I laid on the large bed – naturally, I gave up on getting any more sleep and prepared myself for the day ahead of me.  
It wasn't long till I step out of my room and into the hallway, I did walk over to Jenny's room and put my ear on the door frame, a few seconds of silence was enough to conclude that she was asleep.

As I quietly wondered down the hallway, I took the time to fully take in what has happened and where I was, it finally hit me that we were in Yselz, and resided in a rather large mansion of some sorts.

The place was also rather cozy and warm, built with dark wood – both wall and floor – and had few windows, most likely due to the rooms taking up a ton of space.

Seconds after reaching the staircases leading to the entrance, I could already hear a female voice shouting.  
I decided to stop and wait in the shadows in order to not intrude the conversation just yet.

The female voice started shouting once more. "Lucas, you should have told us!" She didn't exactly sound angry, more like, excited.

"I know Mother, but if I told you both; none of you would have slept!" Lucas exclaims his reasoning.

' _Ah, so he's talking with his parents.'_ I slowly start walking down the staircases.

A male voice responded to Lucas', who I assume is his father. "Lucas, your Mother is right, you should have told us. First impressions are important and we would have loved to greet your friends and welcome them personally."

Lucas was quick to answer with a careful tone. "I know, I ask for forgiveness and I'll introduce them all once they wake up. We had a long journey and they're all rather tired."

' _Alright, that's enough eavesdropping.'_ I didn't want to come across as rude, but I was a rather overly cautious person.

As I walk into the dining room, I could see Lucas facing towards me and his parents sitting in front of him. "Not a problem my boy! We're just happy to see you and felt bad in not welcoming-" Lucas' Father notice his son's glance and caused him to turn around and face me.

"Good morning," I gave them a gentle bow as I greeted them.

Both adults were now observing me, Lucas notice my growing discomfort and stepped in – which I was grateful for.

"Ah, morning, Blizzard!" Lucas proceeded to stand up and went to stand next to me. "Father, Mother, I will like to introduce my Guild's Vice president; Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku."

Both of his parents stood up and went up to shake my hand. "Blizzy, this is my father; Richard Heart, and my mother; Rose Heart." Lucas kindly introduces them to me as we shook hands.

"It's an honor to meet you both, I'm deeply sorry for intruding your home," I told them sincerely.

Rose and Richard took the time to look at each other and then back at me, they both gave me a reassuring smile.

Richard was the first to speak. "The honor is ours, Lady Ryoku. You're more than welcome in this household, it's the least we can offer for protecting our son." He told me with a happy tone, while Rose was nodding in agreement.

"Please, let's us all sit-down and enjoy a cup of tea!" Rose clapped her hands once, which caught the attention of a nearby maid – who swiftly disappeared behind a door.

As Lucas started talking about how he met us, and how he sent letters to his parents explaining how much we've helped him in the past, I took the time to observe his parents.

Rose had a white coat and glasses, at first glance, she looked very young, but you could sense years of wisdom backing her up – she had bright crimson hair with blue eyes and was around my height, if not an inch or two taller than me.

As for Richard, he had dark red hair with gray eyes. Unlike his wife, he was wearing a brown coat and had bags underneath his eyes, his height was the same as Lucas – I could also tell the man was very observant.

I would sit here in silence, but Rose took me by surprise with what she said. "I must say, Blizzard, you're quite the attractive women, I feel jealous!"

It took me a few seconds to take in what she said. "Huh..?"

"M-Mother, please!" Lucas pleads in embarrassment.

"I only speak the truth!" Rose says with a smile as she clasped her hands.

"T-Thank you, ma'am. However, I don't think I deserve such compliments." I responded with embarrassment evident in my voice.

This backfired and made Rose continue teasing me. "Oh and she's modest! She's a cute one isn't she, Richard?"

' _Now I understand why Lucas doesn't handle being teased, Rose is terrifying!'_ I was pleading for help with my eyes at this point.

"Please, dear, you'll scare-" Before Richard could stop his wife from torturing me, another savior comes into the dining room.

Jenny greets us from the doorway. "Morning everyone!"

A sigh of relief escapes my mouth as I turn to speak with Lucas, who was still embarrassed with what just happened. "Your Mother is rather colorful," I mutter as his parents were introducing themselves to our Deviljho.

"I'm so sorry, Vice." He apologizes. "My Mother is just very fond of young maidens."

"Even though I'm not exactly young..." I say under my breath.

It wasn't long till everyone was present at the table, many conversations about countless adventures and small topics were being talked about as we ate breakfast.

The flow of the conversation was interrupted as a maid handed over a letter to Richard.

"... Hmm, seems like I'll be heading to the castle." Richard excuses himself from the table and made way to leave. "I'll let King Kazan know of your arrival."

"Thank you, Father, but may I ask how long do you believe it will take for the king to assign a meeting," Lucas asked before Richard left the room.

"No more than a week, I can assure you that he'll let us know very soon." And with that, Richard left.

"You can take advantage of that!" Rose suddenly speaks, gaining everyone's attention. "Lucas, why don't you show your friends around Yselz. It is better than doing nothing here at this old house."

"Yea, that's a good idea. Hmm, what about the lake shore?" Lucas suggested.

"I wouldn't mind," I voiced out, which caused some of us to agree.

"We'll be checking out the kingdom, Wayland wants to see what type of blacksmiths are here," Aegis said.

"Oh, I just remembered that I can't swim!" Jenny started laughing nervously.

Lucas lets out a sigh. "You can build sand castles and destroy them with your hammer or something."

"My hammer isn't a toy, Lucas! And I'm not a little girl that can get distracted with sand." Jenny argued back.

I just pinch the bridge of my nose and sank into my chair. "Please, let's just go," I say out loud.

Rose let out a giggle before standing up. "I'll be excusing myself, if you need me, I'll be at my work office."

Lucas stood up suddenly. "Alright, I'll go ahead and make a picnic basket, just head out when you're ready – a path behind the house leads to the shoreline," He explained as he went into the kitchen.

* * *

After changing into something comfortable for swimming, I step out of my room and into the hallway – I stumbled upon Jenny, who was closing her door at the time.

Jenny had her hair neatly tied in a ponytail and was wearing shorts, a yellow shirt, and slippers. "I'm surprised you brought summer clothing, especially to a place that usually snows." My comment was enough to alert her.

"Oh! Hey, Liz, and yeah – I gotta be prepared for any occasion." The blonde smiles. "You're wearing almost the same thing as me anyways, except for the flats."

I shrug at Jenny's growing grin. "It's all I have, to be honest," I said sincerely.

"What's in the bag?" Jenny asked me while pointing to the side bag I was carrying.

"Towels and an extra set of clothing," I answer casually. "We should get going."

Few minutes of silence passed as we reached the main entrance and exit the villa, we took the path that Lucas had told us about and enjoyed the forest trail.

"I gotta admit, this place is beautiful." Jenny's eyes glittered as she said this.

The trees around us would shake as the wind blew by, this whole scenario reminded me of the day Raito and Momo came to the Guild – a relaxing melody would play every time the breeze shook the leaves around us, sunlight pouring onto the path ahead of us; giving all of our surrounding an illuminating aura.

It's also rather warm, the only exception was the cold breeze that would appear every now and then. It was a wonderful experience, to say the least, my worries would wash away with ease – even if it only stays that way for a split second.

Soon enough the path opens up and reveals a shoreline – that was between boulders and rocks – the area was that of a private beach. There was also a small cabin on top of the white sand, most likely for changing purposes.

"Amazing..." Jenny took the word right out of my mouth.

I grab Jenny's hand and pulled her onto the white sand. "Let's go test the water,"

"W-Wait, I can't swim!" Jenny reminds me as she resisted me.

I stop in my tracks and pondered for a bit. "Well, I can teach you if you want."

A smile appeared on her face upon hearing my offer. "That would be great,"

It was Jenny's turn to take the lead, as she ran towards the water – she quickly tossed her hammer aside and used the hilt to hang her belongings.

I followed her lead and ran after her, Jenny stopped running as her feet touched the water. "Is something wrong?" I asked as I stood next to her.

"Huh, the water is rather warm," Jenny muttered.

' _Now that I'm paying attention, she's right...'_ I look up at the sunny day, which explained why the water wasn't cold in any way. ' _The weather is rather weird here, cold at night but hot during the day, almost like a desert.'_

"So, how will this training work?" Jenny's question pulled me out of my trance.

"Well, first let's go a bit deeper," I tell her as I carefully walk forward.

Jenny follows me, she was focusing on her footing so she didn't trip into the water. Soon enough the water reaches our hips, and I gesture her to stop.

"This should be enough."

"Oh, good, I thought I would really drown today." Jenny was a bit shaken from the water that was covering half her body.

"Don't worry, I'll be right here with you," I tell her as I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Yea, I'm glad... I would have had a heart attack by now." Jenny smiles with her sarcastic tone of voice.

I grin and tighten my grip on her shoulder. "Oh, there's one thing we need to do for this training." As I say this, I grab her hip with my other hand.

"Whoa, easy on the hold. What are you doing anyways?" Jenny asked in confusion.

"I need to see how you panic!" Jenny let out a confused yelp as I flung her to the deeper part of the lake.

"I'M GOING TO DIE!" Jenny yells as she flew through the air and landed into the water a few feet away from me.

As I watched Jenny sink into the water slowly, I start swimming to her location – just in case she forgets how to float.

The bubbles where Jenny sunk like a rock stopped appearing.

 _'Don't tell me she didn't know how to float in the first place...'_ I felt a cold sweat going down my neck.

Luckily a blond hair girl resurfaces while waving her arms into the air like a crazy woman.

"HELP! HELP! HELP! HEL-!" Jenny gets cut off as she sinks again.

' _Seems like she's jumping from the ground underwater, maybe I should aid her...'_ I start swimming a bit faster.

Jenny appears once more. "PLEASE HELP ME!" She stayed above water longer this time.

"Take a deep breath!" I yell back at her.

"FUCK YOUR DEEP BREATH AND HELP ME!" She yells back a bit angrier, but it looks like she was floating now.

I soon reach the spot where Jenny was doggy paddling in order to keep herself above water. Once I'm in range of her hands she clings to me like a felyne and doesn't let go, which sadly makes me almost drown.

"J-Jenny! We'll both drown at this rate, calm down!" I yell at her as I try to keep us above water, but she keeps on panicking and tries to get on top of my head.

"I'm too young to die! I have a whole life ahead of me!" She doesn't listen to me as she starts flailing around.

I get a hold of her and smack her on the head – it made her go limp for a bit.

"CALM DOWN!" I yell at her as I float in an awkward position, Jenny was sitting on my stomach - using it as a boat.

She rubs her head as she sits on my torso. "Ow, that actually hurt." She states out the obvious.

A loud sigh escapes my mouth as I lay back in the water. "We'll take a break."

 _..._

"Well, that kinda worked differently then what I was expecting... But you sort of learned how to float." I tell her as I pat her head that was using my lap as a pillow.

"J-Just, don't do that ever again..." Jenny pleads as she closes her eyes.

"If you want, we can practice on holding your breath?" I suggest, but Jenny groans.

"No more water." She mutters as she puts her arm above her eyes.

"Hey!" I hear a male voice approaching us – It was Raito, who was walking towards us while waving his arm.

He was wearing shorts and a shirt, also he had his longsword with him, which didn't surprise me at all. The man takes Arashi everywhere, it's like an extra limb to him.

"Hello, Raito." I greet him as he gets close to us.

"Whoa, the lake sure is amazing! I never had the chance to relax in one." Raito says this as he takes in the view. "Um, what happened to Jenny?" He looks down at the almost asleep Jenny.

"Let's just say she a bit tired from 'swimming'," I explain while tapping Jenny's forehead in order to see if she was still alive, to which she responded with a groan. "Also, must you always have Arashi with you?" I ask the swordmaster.

"Of course I must. What would happen if we get attacked and I can't protect you?" Raito says this with a matter of fact tone.

"Raito, I told you countless times that I do not require protection..."

"I owe you a great debt Ryoku. For saving my village, I shall protect you with my life." Raito bows.

I sigh and decide to give up on convincing him to stop, Jenny started giggling and decided to sit back up and look at the shore.

"Where's Lucas?" She asked Raito while looking back at the road we came from.

"He'll be here soon enough, don't worry," Raito answers her as he sits down next to us.

"So what's with Blizzy saving a village?" Jenny asks in order to break the silence.

"Uh, it's a rather long story..." I explain.

"well, it'll keep my mind off the fact that I'm starving, so I wouldn't mind," Jenny says as she stands up and gestures us to move over to the shade under a tree.

* * *

As we sit down in the shade, Lucas happens to arrive with the picnic basket he was preparing earlier and joins us, he was just in time to hear the story. Everyone started grabbing their food – especially Jenny – as we sat in a circle.

I start telling the story as everyone begun eating their food in silence. "This takes place a month after I ran away from the guild, I was at Val'Habar when a young boy ran into the hall."

What I didn't tell my friends was that during these times, I wasn't exactly stable on how I thought, dark memories would constantly eat away at my sanity and cause many emotional problems – only Raito knows of this, and I believe I would like to keep it that way.

 **-One year ago, at Val'Habar guild-**

Like always, the guild was a ruckus, full of energy, laughter, and talking. As for myself, I was staring at the quest board, looking for a harvest tour quest.

 _'I can't find a single harvest tour quest, I hate finding popular quests these days.'_ I sigh to myself as I look over the board for most likely the third time.

I was planning on going out and mine for some minerals, just to spend some time alone in the wild and think about what to do next. Unfortunately, the harvest tour is a very popular quest for charm searchers, ore miners, and gathering groups. This has made it almost impossible for me to find one today, so I been stuck here waiting all day.

 _'I might as well pick something else for today.'_ I search over the board in order to find the highest paying quest on the board. _'Whoa, a golden Rathian...'_ I see the piece of paper with the golden queen printed on it.

The payment was amazing, enough for me to get a brand new charge blade.  
When I was going to reach out and take the paper, a male voice boomed over the entire guild.

"Help, I'm begging you!" The male voice shouts at the Questatrix.

I look over to a man who yelled at our guild's Questratrix, sure enough, a teen with brown hair and in a coat was begging at the counter.

The guild starts quieting down as they notice the commotion.

"I'm sorry sir, but we can't help you unless there's a reward for the hunters." The lady explains to the guy.

"I told you, my village can't pay something we don't have! We just need help from a hunter!" The lad shouts, his voice almost cracking in the process. He seemed to be on the verge of tears and is even more desperate than before.

"W-Well sir, hunters don't accept quests that don't have a decent reward. They won't risk their lives for free, hunters are sellswords."

"Aren't hunters suppose to be heroes!? Why wouldn't they risk their lives in order to protect others, that's their job!" The teen exclaims.

"Welcome to the real world, buddy." A hunter nearby mutters, gaining a few chuckles from the others.

I look back at the quest board and saw the quest that I was going to take in order to get a new charge blade.

I reach out to take it but I stop myself... _'I'm going to regret this, aren't I?'_ I look back at the counter and see a large hunter in Akantor armor approach the lad.

"I'm sorry sir, but there's nothing we can do to help, please leave." He tells the smaller man in a serious tone.

I sigh and start walking towards the commotion. "Step down," I command the HR7 Hunter.

He turns to my voice, most likely annoyed from the order, but upon realizing who it was, he backed down without hesitation.

"Of course, lady Ryoku..." He apologizes as he joins the group of hunters observing the 'show'.

Now that I'm close to the man who started all of this commotion. "Do you really not have any money?" I ask him dead in the eye.

The last thing we needed was a trickster acting desperate in order to not pay the funds. The brunette , however, didn't answer right away, as he was unsure who he was talking to.

"Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku, hunter rank G-3." I introduce myself as I offer a handshake.

"O-Oh! My name is Yen, nice to meet you..." He takes my hand and shakes it rather weakly.

"Would you kindly answer my previous question?" I repeat myself as I let go of his hand.

"Yes, I don't have any money on me, I'm sorry." Yen looks down in shame.

"You do realize that all the hunters here are mostly rookies... They might be hunters, but they need the money from these quests." I tell him as I rise his face with my gloved hand, his eyes were moist, on the verge of tears.

I realize that he had a young face, most likely younger than Jenny - he had light brown eyes and pale skin.

"Yes, I realize just now, how cruel the world is..." He mutters as he avoids eye contact.

I bite my lips for a bit, before releasing his face. "Very well, normally you would have to wait for a headhunter of the guild in order to have a slight 'chance' of getting help for free." I look towards the Questatrix and nodded.

"O-Of c-course ma'am!" She responded a bit off guard and ran off to get something.

"Lucky for you, I'm the only headhunter in this hall that isn't out on a quest." I look back at Yen.

"D-does that mean you'll help!?" He looks back at me with hopeful eyes.

"Just remember, not all hunters are sellswords, some do protect those who can't protect themselves without a second thought, even if it means risking their lives. Just don't always count for such a thing to happen every time you have problems." I answer his doubts.

Yen smiles and bows while thanking me countless times, I felt a bit embarrassed and told him to stop.

The quest-worker returns with my request and I look back at the group of hunters watching the spectacular with smiles on their faces.

"Alright, everyone back to work! I'll be gone for a few days so please behave and follow the Guild's rules and instructions!" I tell them all, which they responded with cheers and nods.

I walk up to the counter. "Here you go, lady Ryoku." she hands me the paper that approves of taking an airship.

I nod and thank her as I look back at Yen. "Mind if you tell me where your village is?" I ask him.

"Up north from here, in the mountain region, known as the thunderous peak." He tells me in a monotone and clear voice.

My eyes went wide and I turned to walk towards a table. _'Thunderous peak? What in the world is a village doing there!?'_ I yell inside my head.

"That far? Did you walk the entire way here?" I ask him a bit concerned about his health now.

"Yeah... Took me two entire days and one night to get here, without rest." Yen tells me as he follows closely behind.

I stop walking and Yen bumps into me, as he's apologizing, I turn to face him.

"Are you hungry?" I ask him kindly.

 _-One meal later-_

"I never ate this much in weeks!" Yen exclaims happily as he follows me closely behind.

' _I swear he ate more than Jenny does when she's grumpy...'_

"How could I ever repay you, lady Ryoku?" Yen asked me with the tone of voice that said he would fulfill any request.

"Start by calling me Blizzy," I respond as I see our ride.

"V-Very well, Blizzy." He says with a bit of hesitation.

We get on the airship and I explain to the captain were we are heading, he was a bit shock at first, but happily agreed to take us. The vessel was small, with two benches on each side and the captain at the back, these vessels are suited for fast and short distance travel.

Yen decides to lay down on his bench but quickly falls asleep after a few minutes of talking.  
Apparently, his town has been receiving countless abnormal thunderstorms. At first, I was skeptical since that's what the thunderous peak is famous for, but he then told me that the thunder strikes were crimson red.  
Not only that, his village holds a legendary blade that acts like a lightning rod, which protects the village from regular thunder strikes, however, the crimson thunders have ignored the blade and struck the village directly for a week now.  
I luckily was wearing my Silver Rathalos coat and a customize Lagiacrus longsword that's meant to be sturdy and sharp, for more power. I lean back on the airship's rails and decided to close my eyes and catch a nap before we arrived.

 _..._

"Lizzy... Wake up, the captain said we've arrived." A voice wakes me up from my nap.

I look around and see that Yen is still asleep and the captain is humming quietly to himself.

 _'Who's voice was that?'_ I asked myself, I shrug it off and noticed that we've indeed arrived.

I take a deep breath and decide to wake up Yen, who gets up reluctantly but sits up anyways while rubbing his eyes.

We land a few feet above the foot of the mountain.

"I'm sorry, but this vessel can't handle lighting storms. This is as high as I can take both of you, I'll be at the nearest village waiting for your return." The captain explains as we hop off the airship.

The Vessel slowly turns and heads off to a small village in the distance...

I turn to look at the mountain ahead of us. "Mind leading the way?" I ask Yen, who nods and starts walking.

Currently, the path we were taking was just covered in grass and a bit of snow, but I can see that up ahead, it's completely covered in snow. Not only that, but the peak is covered in a black cloud...

"Is the village up there? In that cloud?" I ask Yen who was walking at a fast pace up the hill.

"Yea, it's been like that for an entire week." Yen responded with a bit of sorrow in his voice.

We decided to pick up the pace and soon enough, the trail gets covered in snow. As we hike in silence, I start hearing the ringing of bells.

"What's that ringing?" I voice out my confusion.

"They help us find the path in case of blizzards or harsh storms." He explains.

As for the bell trick, I wasn't new to it. Back in pokke, we used the same technique in order to not get lost.

"If we follow the sound, we'll be right on track to the entrance of the village." Yen says before going silent in order to maintain his stamina.

After a couple of minutes, Yen stops and points ahead.

"See that cave? That's the entrance." Yen states out as he points to a nearby tunnel.

Upon entering the cave I notice that it was not natural at all. "This place was man-made wasn't it," I speak out my thoughts, which got responded with a yes.

"The cave was built by our ancestors, They realized how dangerous the mountain was and decided to build a safe path inside of the old volcano." Yen explains as we walk.

' _So this mountain is a dormant volcano._ ' I thought to myself.

The place was lit up by torches and the floor was rather smooth.

"It took them four-hundred years to build it correctly without any flaws." Yen says with pride.

A very smart tactic if I must say so myself. Not only are they dodging the elements of the outside world, but I'm sure it increases the travel speed by a great amount.

"Careful. This staircase leads up to the village but it also leads down to the foot of the mountain." He tells me while taking a left turn and starts heading up a spiral staircase.

The entire thing was hollow on the inside, most likely the throat of the volcano with built in stone staircases crafted on its inner walls.

I look down and stare at the dark abyss. ' _This type of fall would kill anyone..._ ' I shake the dark thoughts away and turn to see Yen lighting up a torch.

"Stay close, and watch your step." Yen starts walking up the stairs and I follow suit.

"I think I know why it took them four-hundred years now..." I mutter.

Yen laughs in response and says that he is proud of being a part of their bloodline.

"Was there an entrance at the foot of the volcano?" I ask as I once again, stare down at the abyss.

"Yea but it has been sealed off. Only the Arashi family has the permission of opening it from the inside." Yen's voice echoed around us.

"Arashi?" I repeat the name a bit confused.

"Yup! It's the name of the first tribe leader AND our sacred blade that watches over us." Yen speaks with pride evident in his voice.

"Ah, is that name important to you?" I ask him.

"It sure is! It's my last name after all!" Yen responded. "My Brother is the current prince or chief of the tribe, his currently twenty, which is five years older than me."

"I see, and about the blade – can it truly protect an entire village?" I decided to ask him after looking up and realizing we had a long climb ahead of us.

"Pretty much! It acts like a lightning rod and a power generator, it absorbs the power of thunder strikes and uses that energy to attract more, keeping the village safe during storms."

He stays quiet for a bit, collecting his words before continuing.

"Sadly, It can't fully protect us against the crimson thunder. It can only protect a small radius which we call the holy shrine." He said with a bit of sorrow in his voice.

"Are you sure these thunder strikes aren't just dragon blight attacks?" Chances are that it was a Stygian Zinogre.

"Positive. We know how dragon blight looks like, our tribe has fought countless Zinogres and Stygian Zinogres." Yen counters my statement without hesitation.

He was right... This mountain is indeed famous for having both Zinogre species so close to each other. I also have no right to judge him since I have yet to see said thunderstrikes myself.

 _'However, what in the world has the ability to generate Crimson Thunderstrikes... Why does it sound so familiar?'_ I let my mind race with different answers, but none of them were clear.

"Also, unlike dragon blight, these crimson thunders cause instant death." Yen explains with pain evident in his voice.

He most likely remembered an unfortunate event, so I decide to remain quiet and let our footsteps speak of our presence. After a few minutes of silence, I decided to reassure him of why I was here.

"I'll make sure to save your village... Even if it means losing my life."

"Yea, and for that, I'm really grateful." He turns and smiles before continuing to walk up the stairs quietly.

Around half an hour later, a loud rumble shakes our surroundings.

"We're almost there!" Yen shouts as he picks up the pace.

' _I hope we aren't too late.'_ I did my best to keep up with Yen as we reached the summit.

The staircase ends and we catch our breath before another loud but even more powerful roar of a thunderstrike interrupts us.

"Damn it... It's gotten worse!" Yen breaks into a jog after putting the torch on a handle."We need to hurry!" He shouts while sprinting ahead, I take a deep breath before running into a full sprint.

Yen was ahead of me, he tackles a wooden door open; revealing a village in distress.

The village to our horror was in complete ruins, It was inside a dormant volcano's mouth on top of some sort of inner plateau.  
It was completely protected from the harsh cold winds, but the main problem was the roof – it was completely open, allowing the storm to barrage countless electrical discharges against the village.

"Blizzy, there's the shrine! We'll be safe once we reach it!" Yen yells as we run next to each other towards a large building at the center of the village.

The shrine was giving off a golden gentle light and was completely unharmed from the chaos.

Upon reaching the entrance – Yen quickly opens the door allowed us to enter.  
A young maiden in traditional clothing yelps in surprise but quickly realizes who it is.

"Ah, Yen! You've returned!" She cheers happily.

Yen, however, doesn't stop and runs ahead.

"Brother, I have returned!" Yen runs down a golden carpet, leading to what seems to be a golden glowing statue of a dragon's head, one could also see a glowing blade resting on top of said statue.

"Excuse me, are you the hunter?" The young maiden gets my attention.

"Ah, yes, I'm here to help your village," I answer her.

The maiden quickly gives me a wide smile and gestures to look up ahead. "Lord Raito is waiting for you!" She says this as I now realize that Yen was talking to a tall man in front of the statue.

I nod and start walking down the carpet towards Yen and this so called, Raito. I felt the stare of hundreds of people as I walked towards the two males, I now realized that the entire village was sitting in this sacred shrine.

Yen notices me as I approach them and gestures towards me with his hand, while Raito observes me from head to toe before smiling in gratitude.

"Ah, you must be the hunter my brother was speaking of – Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku, if I'm correct?" The elder of the two speaks.

"Yes, you're correct. Who do I have the honor of speaking with?" I ask the man.

"Arashi Raito, tribe leader of this village and keeper of its holy relic," Raito responded loud and clear.

Unlike his brother, Raito had black hair and blue eyes. He was taller than me and was apparently a year older than me as well. He was wearing a very traditional looking black coat with white plated armor in vital areas, and light clothing everywhere else.

Also, now that I'm close to this 'holy relic', I realized that the roof above it was completely open, and there were holes around the statue. This was obviously meant to allow the thunder strikes to hit the blade, and the rain to fall into the holes – which would then be led out of the shrine.

 _'Somewhat reminds me of a fountain...'_ However, before I could observe further, Raito draws my attention with a question.

"Tell me, Huntress, are you afraid of thunder?"

"No," I responded back in a heartbeat.

"Then, after seeing the situation we are in, will you help us?" Raito questions me one last time.

"Of course, but I need an explanation," I answer back.

* * *

"Let me get this straight." I collect my words, as I sat in front of Raito. "Your people have lived peacefully for generations, but this storm has been looming above this village for an entire week, causing countless deaths," I repeat the words that I was told in order to process the situation in my mind.

"Correct," Raito confirms.

"Your village tried waiting out the storm, but your plan backfired and now the village is low on food and medical supplies," I say as I look back at the villagers behind me.

Some nod and others look down or avoid my gaze. _'Fear.., there is nothing but fear among these people.'_

"Sadly yes... Our food supply at this rate will run out in two days or so." Raito sighs after saying this.

"Your the leader of this village, correct? What would YOU do in this situation if I wasn't here." I question Raito with a serious tone.

"I would leave this mountain at once and never look back in my decision." He says with confidence in his voice.

"Then why haven't you? A regular hunter would evacuate this place and claim their reward, leaving without another word," I state while staring at his eyes.

"Because, I have faith, and so does everyone in this village," Raito said with a confident smile and without breaking eye contact.

"Huh, 'Faith' is such a naive word." I let out a loud sigh "But, in this situation... I admire every single one of you." I say as I stand up. "Raito, if you have any ideas on what is causing the problem, speak now and lead me to it," I command the tribe leader with a determined tone.

Raito stands up and clasps his hand with a smile. "I indeed have an idea, but it's dangerous without the protection of Arashi." He says.

"We don't have much time."

Raito thinks for a bit. "The mountain next to ours is forbidden. Countless elder dragons have made a nest on it and would destroy the first villages time after time. Soon they moved out and made their home on this dormant volcano. " He explains calmly.

"So I'm not the only one who believes an elder dragon is causing this?" I voice out.

"Indeed, you're not the only one, everyone in this shrine are full-bloods – which attracts unwanted attention." Raito answers.

I gasp in surprise. _'E-Everyone!?'_ I look back in shock at the countless villagers waiting to be saved.

I have never seen so many full-bloods in one area – without a doubt, it would attract monsters, however, the volcano and its storms protected them from any danger except for the current situation.

"Are you a full-blood as well, lady Ryoku?" Raito's question made me turn back to him.

"Y-Yes, I'm indeed a full-blood."

"Good, since only full-blooded are allowed to enter the forbidden village by tradition." He states quietly. "The first founders of this tribe were outcasted by the so-called normal ones, and ever since - only those of our kind have permission to enter these mountains."

' _Normal ones? What could he mean..?'_ It didn't matter at the moment, so I decided to move on.

However, I was still a bit shock by the fact that Raito and his village are full-bloods who the guild has yet to monitor over. Full-bloods have been bred over, and over since the beginning of their existence, but this village isn't even on the map.

 _'When two families merge, the descendants grow stronger.'_ That is what the Guild says, and they think that is enough to justify what they're doing.

I can't let the guild know of this village, they will use their DNA structure in order to make stronger pairs. Especially if theirs have never been touched with the world, making them very unique.

"I have a declaration, I'll help your village." Small cheers and clapping start appearing. "BUT!" I shout and the room goes quiet.

"You shall not talk about this mountain ever again nor of your existence of ever being here. It's for the best of everyone's future if you wish to truly be free." I speak clearly.

Everyone went quiet until Raito speaks up. "I have to agree with our dear friend here. Depending on the situation, as the leader, I have decided that we leave this place and avoid any more hardships." He speaks clearly with a tone that speaks of leadership and wisdom.

Raito turns to me with a smile. "Very well - Lady Ryoku and I, will leave and check on the forbidden village. While I'm away, Yen will be in charge." Raito commands.

"W-Wait what? I'm in charge?!" Yen shouts in confusion somewhere in the back of the large room.

"Aye, brother, you must learn to be a leader at your age. If I were to fall in battle, you would take my place." Raito laughs a bit before continuing. "I also need someone to keep everyone calm. It only makes sense that someone from the Arashi line would take up such a role."

"I'll do my best!" Yen replies.

"Follow me Ryoku, we'll take the back entrance." Raito gestures to follow.

There was apparently another section of this shrine, but the floor was covered in make-shift beds and maidens healing the wounded.

"Medical, rest and food center, it was necessary to put everyone in this shrine for protection." Raito quickly explains as we walk by.

Now that Raito's back is facing towards me, I noticed that his black coat had golden symbols of ancient names - they were written around one larger name, that spelled out Raito.

 _'I wonder if those are all the names of the previous leaders...'_

We soon reach the exit and find ourselves outside, just in time to hear a thunder hit Arashi behind us.

"Best to hurry." Raito states and we start jogging over to another cave entrance.

 _..._

We were now in an older looking man-made cave. "Alright, we can slow down our pace now," Raito says before walking side by side with me. "There's a stone bridge up ahead, we'll use it in order to reach the other mountain."

An awkward silence appears as we walk.

Luckily we soon reach the bridge. "Alright, the wind is heavy here. So watch your step and don't let go of that rope." Raito says as he gestures me to go first.

When I step out of the shelter of the cave, the wind made sure to almost blast me off my feet, I luckily grab the rope in time.

 _'T-That was too close.'_ I regain my composure before continuing to walk slowly.

"I gotcha!" Raito stands right behind me and holds my shoulder, combining our weight and keeping us planted a bit easier.

We march slowly to the other side and safely entered another dark cave. I start grooming my messy hair as we take a small break, while Raito searches for a torch.

Raito calls out to me. "Ah, found one - time to move, Ryoku."

I follow suit as Raito lights up the torch and continues walking ahead. Soon enough we find another staircase leading up the mountain. ' _Gods, my legs are killing me after the first set of stairs.'_

"So..." Raito decided to break the silence.

He's definitely less talkative than his brother, but then again I was questioning Yen for the entire trip about the situation. There isn't much to talk about with a guy you just met.

"Yes?" I decide to help him break the ice.

"Mind if I ask what your last name means? Last names in our village are really special to us, so we like to know the meaning of them whenever we hear a new one." Raito explains himself for asking such a thing.

"Ah, I see. Well for starters, you been saying my last name completely wrong. Its Ishi'Ryoku, not Ryoku or Ishi alone," I tell him.

"Ah, I'm deeply sorry! I didn't know..." He scratches his head in embarrassment with his free hand.

"It's fine, I'm used to people calling me Ryoku anyways," I shrug it off since it really doesn't bother me. "But to answer your original question, my last name means Willpower."

"Wow, that's indeed lovely." He compliments me.

"Thank you."

"Do you wish to learn about my last name?" Raito offers.

"Sure, if you don't mind." I was sincerely curious.

"Of course I don't, I have great pride in it, after all. Arashi was the name of a great hunter, who lead a group of people to safety from a hoard of Zinogre. He fought all of them and came back alive in order to watch over the village and create a safe heaven for them."

My eyes widen. "That's rather impressive..."

Raito nods. "Over the years, Arashi grew old and passed down his blade to his son. Soon after, his son fought off a great Elder dragon that could control storms in its wake."

Raito looks back at me to make sure I was alright, before continuing to march ahead.

"After slaying the Dragon with the blade, people of the village decorated it with the materials of the beast. However, they were not expecting the blade to attract lightning storms and nor did they expect it to absorb thunderstrikes. The blade fused itself with the materials of the Elder dragon after countless times of heating and cooling off due to the rain and thunder."

Raito takes a deep breath before continuing.

"The rest is history, that's how the legendary Arashi of Fulmination was born. Its other name is Tempest of Violent thunders." Raito finally concludes.

"So your last name...?" I sum up the courage to ask him, for I fear he got a bit off track, but it was indeed an interesting story.

"Haha, sorry, there aren't many people who which I can tell them my ancestor's story. Everyone back in the village knows of it, you're the first one I get to tell." Raito explains himself for getting carried away. "Anyways, my last name means storm or harsh winds."

Raito was prideful of his name and its background, however, his name made me stop in my tracks – and soon my heart felt heavy. Raito – unaware of how I felt – kept walking, the light source got dimmer and it soon left me in the shadows.

"S-storm..." I repeat his name. "T-they both have black hair, an encouraging smile..." I start breathing rapidly.

"Ryoku?!" An echo reaches my ears.

"C-Calm down Blizzard... He's not your brother, they might be similar but their eyes are not the same. He is not your brother." I start whispering to myself as I try to calm down.

A light gets closer and closer to me and so does the voice calling out my name.

I put on a mask and showed Raito a brave fake face, but upon looking up, I saw a young man with brown eyes and black messy hair with his usual carefree smile.  
I can feel my legs shaking and I shut my eyes for a few seconds, before opening them up to see a very worried Raito.

"Hey, are you okay?" He questions me, his voice full of concern.

"Yea, I'm just out of breath... You have a lovely last name." I decide to drag the subject away from my health as much as possible.

"Ah, thank you, but if you want, we can take a break." Raito offers as he gestures me to sit down.

"No, It's fine, I can keep going," I tell him with a low tone.

"Ah, is that so... Well, I'm taking a break then! I'm really tired, I haven't hike like this in awhile!" Raito laughs as he sits down and starts massaging his legs.

I stare at the man with a dumbfounded face. ' _He's lying... He just lied in order to force me to rest and there's nothing I can do about it.'_

A sigh escapes my mouth and I sit down in order to calm myself – I started grooming my hair with my fingers just to distract myself.

After a couple of minutes, my breathing went back to normal and I was able to control my emotions once more.  
I look back at Raito who was sitting behind me on a higher step, he was currently staring at the wall and looked bored out of his mind.

"Ready?" I ask him a bit timidly.

"Huh..? Oh, right!" He stands up and grabs the torch he put on a wall hanger awhile ago.

We continued to march up the stairs in silence, however, this time it was peaceful between us – I had more respect for the man.

* * *

"We have arrived." Raito suddenly speaks up.

Upon entering the small hallway, the wind started howling throughout the cave – and an exit was visible up ahead.

Whatever is out there, it's causing all of this pain and suffering, it's my duty as a hunter to protect those in danger. Defend those who can't protect themselves against the injustice of this world.

Raito and I stared at each other for a bit, and with one final nod – we left the protection of this ancient the cave only lead into an old shrine, which gave us the opportunity to check the surrounding radius undetected.

Exiting the cave only lead into an old shrine, which gave us the opportunity to check the surrounding radius undetected.

' _We should find a window,'_ The shrine had holes and many faulty structure errors due to the harsh weathers it has endured over the years – even now, harsh rain was down pouring outside and into the building.

"Follow me," Raito points to a hole in the wall. "Oh, and to be honest, this rain isn't normal." He quickly adds.

"Yea, I feel like we're inside a hurricane." Right when I approached Raito, a sudden roar was heard in the distance.

We both froze on the spot. "What in the world." Raito mutters.

"Shh, it most likely doesn't see us yet." I hurry over to the hole in the wall and started scanning the area.

The large plateau barely had any remanents of buildings left, there was already countless puddles of water and a few patches of grass – I could see a ballista nearby a boulder, along with a few trees on the edges; which will probably protect us from falling off the mountain.

' _It's not on the ground..,'_ I stare at the ominous clouds in the sky, they were completely unnatural. ' _Where is it?'_

Another roar was heard, and at the same time – I spot a figure flying out of the clouds.

It was a large creature who looked like it was swimming through the air instead of flying, the entire body was white – which was covered in countless fins that stretched along all four of its limbs – the head was small compared to the rest of its body, but it was adorned with two large golden horns.

"Amatsu..!" I curse under my breath as the situation just got way worse.

Raito stands next to me and peeks out the hole himself before holding his breath in shock.

"We have to head back and warn the village, It's most likely looking for them," Raito whispers with worry in his voice.

 _..._

"Alright everyone, watch your step!" Raito ordered the villagers down into the exit.

"Yen, make sure everyone is safe. There should be enough water and food, make sure to give everyone a tiny bit – enough to survive. I'll come back after taking out Amatsu and will open the seal." Raito explains to his brother.

"Alright, just make sure to come back!" Yen punches his brother shoulder as he grins.

Raito teases him back by patting his head. "No need to worry, kiddo."

Yen then turns to face me. "Um... Please keep him safe, he never hunts anything besides Zinogres." Yen told me as the final villager goes down the spiral stairs.

"I promise, he'll come back alive," I reassure him with a fake smile. _'I'll do my utmost best to keep him alive.'_

"Truly... I can't express how grateful I am, everything you have done for me and this village. Only true heroes would ever do such a thing." Yen said with teary eyes before rubbing them off and started walking down the staircase illuminated by hundreds of torches.

"Alright, they will all be safe down there. The ruins have more space than the actual village and it's where we store most of our back up food." Raito draws my attention and we start walking towards the shrine. "We just need to go and pick up Arashi."

We rush over to the shrine, doing our best to avoid getting hit by unexpected thunderstrikes.

Once we entered the shrine and reached the sacred blade, Raito pulled out white bandages with weird black markings.

"This will be the first time Arashi has ever been awoken ever since the day it killed that dragon..." Raito mutters as he leaps towards the statue and gets on top.

He starts covering the sword with the bandages.  
As Raito did this feat, the light in the shrine grew dimmer and dimmer, until its was almost completely pitch dark.  
The blade was no longer showing any signs of attracting electricity, nor was it glowing with its unique golden aura.

As the swordmaster pulls the blade out of the statue with ease, I can't help but be a bit confused as to how those simple bandages controlled the sword with ease.

"We don't want one million thunder strikes attacking all at once now do we." He tells me with a grin as he noticed my confusion. "These bandages allow me to control the blade's energy source with ease, I have never wielded the blade, but I have trained all my life for such a moment."

"How can bandages do such a thing?" I question him.

"Honestly? We have no clue, these things are as old as the blade. Let's just say that the bandages are made out of skin or tissue from the same Elder dragon Arashi's son took out." He shrugs and sheathed the blade on his waist. "Sad how this sword would only see the battlefield once again when the village is in grave danger, yet, I have always longed to use it."

"That's the sad truth behind almost any weapon," I said without thinking.

Raito nods. "Aye, you speak the truth."

Now that I can actually see Arashi without being blinded, I notice that it had the shape of a normal katana, but this ancient relic had a powerful aura around it – as if an ancient dragon was walking alongside us.

"Set?" Raito asked me one last time.

"Yup, let's take out that Elder-dragon," I answer him with no hesitation.

 _..._

Upon reaching the old shrine in the forbidden village we decide to rest up and recover our stamina.

"Raito, you really don't have to fight. I can take on this dragon alone, your tribe needs you." Regret was starting to fill up my mind.

"And miss out the opportunity to actually be a true leader? Sorry, Ryoku, but I decline your offer," Raito says with confidence, and was almost a bit offended. "Not doing this would bring shame to my name, I was born to protect all of my people – just like the first leader."

Flashbacks of my Brother crosses my mind, but they failed to shake me this time.

"Right... The longer we delay this, the more everyone will worry." I say this as I stand up and look for the exit.

"Heh, you remind me of an ancient folklore," Raito states as he stands up and follows me.

"How so?" I question him as I hear the roars of Amatsu and the tempest raging outside.

"It says that a true queen would fight for those that a king could not defend. Protecting those she fights for as if they were her children, for little to no reason whatsoever." Raito ends the conversation by unsheathing Arashi.

' _I must admit, his culture is vastly different from mine.'_ I watch as he swings the blade, a shock wave of electricity appears and destroys the wall ahead of us.

"Let's go!" Raito runs out of the shrine.

I run after him. ' _This time, things will be different!'  
_  
The wind howls with anger, rain starts pouring down faster, I thought it was going to get worse – but it all suddenly stops – the skies opens up and reveals the sun.

"Hey, thank you, for giving us hope. You really are a hero to them." Raito tells me as we stand next to each, looking at the Elder dragon who was judging us from the heavens.

The great Amatsu, Elder-dragon of storms – was now descending from the skies with the sun behind it.

Amatsu was now gently flying towards us, waiting for us to move. The air pressure was enormous, it felt as if I was standing with a boulder on top of my shoulders as the dragon hovered near the ground.

I decided to reply to Raito's previous statement. "I'm no hero, I'm simply just a human."

Amatsu lets out a strong roar – the sound was similar to that of bells and a leviathan roaring underwater – The Elder caused the skies to darken and the storm to rage on with full force once again.

I dash forward towards the Elder, trying to cause it to make the first move. Amatsu doesn't react to my presence and simply dodges out of my way with grace as if the air itself didn't exist.

 _'Darn it...'_ I look back at Raito who was patiently standing still.

Lighting strikes in the distance and the rain started obscuring my vision.

Amatsu curls up mid-air and begun absorbing the air around us. "Careful!" I shout as I run to take cover behind a large rock.

 _'How are we going to break its defense. An elder dragon doesn't mess around with hunters, nor does it fight to the death unless it really needs to.'_ I reflect on my knowledge as I try to figure out a way to obscure Amatsu's senses.

A burst of wind passes through the sides of the boulder I was using to shield myself – I took a deep breath, and leaped over the boulder.

The wind caused me to run slower than usual, luckily Raito was distracting the dragon by just standing there in front of it with bravery. Amatsu didn't take the bait and floated away from the man – it flew straight into my blade as I landed an overhead slash on its underbelly.

Amatsu lets out a cry but quickly reacts by doing a back flip, successfully allowing it to get behind me – it then uses its front fins to try and slap me away but I managed to roll out of its range.

"Ryoku, duck!" I instantly hit the ground as I heard Raito.

A powerful thunderstrike was heard and Amatsu cried in pain.

I look up and saw that the Elder was now hovering dangerously close to the ground, electricity was sparking around its body – it was in an elemental prison.

"Now your chance!" Raito yells as he runs up ahead.

I dash forward with my blade near my side - ready to strike.

Raito and I send out barrages of attacks onto the fallen Elder with both longswords, attacking side by side in sync. We were both aiming at Amatsu's neck, trying to destroy its scales before it regained the strength to fly.

Amatsu growls and does a quick spin on the ground – it knocked both Raito and me to the ground a few feet away.

The Elder-Dragon proceeds to fly into the air and started absorbing the rain around it.

Raito and I roll out of the way in opposite directions from each other.

Completely focusing on getting back to safety, I could feel my alarms going off as Amatsu shot out a beam of pressurized water – the beam was strong enough to cut through the ground and send rocks flying in all directions.  
I quickly turn with pure reflexes and sliced a rock in half - that was otherwise going to hit me - unfortunately, a second rock caught me off guard and hit my arm. The force was so great, that it caused my arm to cramp up and almost made me drop my weapon.

Amatsu floats down insanely fast while spinning, causing twisters to appear around it.

Another loud thunder strike is heard behind me as I run for cover but the cry of Amatsu did not appear – instead, the creature flew passed me and went straight for Raito.

 _'Great, the thing learned how to dodge Arashi's elemental attacks.'_ I stop running and turn to make sure Raito was alright.  
He was currently dodging the Amatsu's physical attacks, but he managed to counter a few, causing Amatsu to retreat to the heavens.

I look around for the ballista I saw the first time we came here, thinking that it might have ammo left in it – or at the very least, boxes of ammo nearby.

"BLIZZARD!" Raito's shout of desperation was enough to make me dodge to the left without thinking.

The next best thing I could do was covering my head with my arms, as I felt a force push me back midair. Small needles – that I could only assume were rocks – were hitting my body as I got tossed aside due to the water beam's intense power.

I slowly get back up. _'I would had been cut in half if Raito didn't alert me.., I need to focus!'_ A familiar warm liquid was already creeping down my forehead.

Amatsu had once again started attacking Raito.

Being this far away from my ally and seeing him get attack puts me on edge... Bad memories start pouring back into my mind and clouded my senses slowly.

I shrug it off quickly. _'No... If I just stand here, history will repeat itself!'_ I charge forward with all my strength towards Raito who had his back turned to me.

"Raito don't move!" I shout but Raito turns around in confusion.

"Wha-!?" I stomp on his face and leaped onto Amatsu's head.

Amatsu, however, did not like this at all and decided to fly into the clouds at full force in order to shake me off.

"Y-your not going to get rid of me that easily!" I yell as I hold one horn between my armpit and use my now free hand to take out my carving knife.

Amatsu flew through the black clouds and went above the harsh storm, we were in the blue open sky with the sun blazing at full might.  
The air was at this point too thin, I could barely breathe. I hug one of the horns and decided to regain my stamina as Amatsu stood in the air, waiting for me to choke or freeze to death.

 _'Too bad for you, the cold won't kill me anytime soon..!'_ With what little strength I had left, I stab the carving knife into its skull.

Amatsu did a screeching roar before flying back down at full speed.

' _I won't allow it!'_ As I shouted mentally, I twisted the knife – causing the Elder to backflip without warning.

The sudden urge of passing out was frightening, my grip loosen up and I was dangerously close to falling off – but something kept me going, whatever it was, it was enough to make me twist the knife one final time; I could hear the skull cracking and Amatsu started falling.

I let myself fall from its head, and landed on the cold hard ground a few feet away from the fallen Elder. _'I'm going to feel that one tomorrow...'_ I ignore the pain and got up on my feet.

Raito was already taking advantage of the situation and started preparing an attack.

Arashi was surrounded with electricity, creating a blade made out of pure energy.  
Raito let out a shout and slashed through both Amatsu's golden horns – The strike was strong enough to cut both of them clean off, making the Elder dragon wake up violently - it proceeded to fly away from us.

"Are you alright?" Raito runs to me and helps me stand up straight.

"Y-yea... Just out of breath." I look up towards Amatsu who was flying in circles up above.

The air suddenly shifts, powering the wind around us and lowering the amount of rain that was previously pouring down. Thunder rumbles and Amatsu roars, summoning twisters around the summit and changing the skies to a dark crimson red.

"Amatsu entered its rage form, it won't be fleeing until there's a victor," I tell Raito so he can prepare himself for what's to come.

"This is starting to be a pain in the ass." Raito laughs as he places Arashi on his shoulder.

Amatsu flew back down at greater speed than before. The chest, horns, and eyes shined with a faint golden luminescence – it now also had red veins standing out on its wings membranes.

It taunted us with a growl.

I look back to Raito who was staring the Elder dragon with a confident smile on his face.

"You remind me of someone very dear to me," I tell him as I look back at Amatsu who was now starting to curl up, absorbing the air once more as the sound of bells rings through the air.

"Heh, I can say the same about you!"

"But you're not them!" We say in unison as we dash forward.

The following events happened in mere seconds, Amatsu summoned multiple twisters in all directions – forcing me to dodge in an awkward matter – Raito got caught by the harsh wind and got carried to the other side of the summit.  
Before I kept running, I looked back to see if he was alright – luckily he planted his blade into the ground before falling off the edge.  
An alarm sets off in my head and I dodged to the right – allowing me to avoid getting hit by a beam of water – I kept running towards the Elder, ready to strike it down.

I summoned a strong Final-Slash aimed at Amatsu's head after performing a tumble – the Elder reacts in time and trades with its front fin. We collided and the force was strong enough to send me flying backwards.

The damage has been done, a silver aura was dancing around my Heaven's Thunder – while Amatsu was roaring in both anger and pain.

Before I could recover from the exchange, the storm dragon summoned another beam – I barely had time to dodge out of the way and landed awkwardly on my left knee, however, the attack wasn't aimed at me.

The sound of a large boulder collapsing was heard; my head turns around in time to see that Raito was forced to dodge out of the way and get separated from me.  
This was a fatal mistake for me – turning around to see if the man was alright, gave Amatsu the opportunity to charge at me and ram me with its broken horns into an old building.

Amatsu let out a victorious roar before flying away.

I laid there in great pain, shards of broken wood had pierced through my limbs – everything around me was blurry, which gave me a good indication that I bumped my head pretty hard.

 _'I'm close to fainting...'_ With a grunt, I force myself to sit up, breathing was extremely painful. _'I think I broke a few ribs..!'_ The pain started kicking in.

My hands shakily reach in my bag and took out a mega potion – I gingerly open the lid and drank it all. A cold sensation washes over my entire body and I could feel the pain disappearing slowly.

 _'We need to end this before the medicine wears off..,'_ I got up on my feet and got out of this old building.

The Elder was flying around the summit in circles, waiting for us to return to the fight so it could end our lives. The wind was blowing in the same direction Amatsu was flying – it was getting harder to breathe and the wind was draining my stamina, I could barely stand on my feet at this point.

"Ryoku!" I heard a familiar voice behind me. "Oh gods, are you alright?"

Raito was surprised upon seeing my cuts and bruises. "Don't worry, this is normal."

"Are you sure-" Raito was cut off when a thunderous roar was heard, followed by countless crimson thunderstrikes.

We both stare at the sky, even Amatsu was doing it best to dodge out of the way.

 _'Why would Amatsu be the caused of these thunder attacks..? Even now in front of my eyes, the Elder seems to be afraid of them.'_

I knew the answer, but I didn't want to say it – not right now or ever. "We need to kill it fast,"

"Right, I'll cover you!" Raito shouts.

Amatsu barely dodged a thunderstrike – it decides to fly down and hover close to the ground out of pure fear.

Raito and I charge forward – we both aimed at its neck, however, Amatsu was smart enough to always avoid Raito's blade, while blocking my attacks with its broken horns. With a roar, the Elder did a backflip and performed a spinning charge – which in turn summoned a vortex that threw both of us off our feet.

As I was getting up, I heard the sound of a bell behind me. _'SHIT!'_ I felt something hit my spine as I got sent flying forwards.

I landed face first onto the muddy ground, the pain wasn't over – Amatsu slams its tail on me. An agonizing yelp of pain escapes my mouth as I barely remained conscious.

A familiar voice rings in my head as I fought back the crushing weight. "Hey! Don't give up, things might look bad – but a monster will always have it worse!"

"Release her at once!" Raito shouts as he stabs Amatsu's illuminating chest with Arashi.

The Elder loosens the tail enough for me to escape – I force my body to stand up and charge at the dragon with pure hatred.

"I'll make sure you suffer!"

I dance around Amatsu's graceful movements, using the wind to my advantage and abusing its patterns in order to gain momentum behind my steps and attacks.

"Don't forget about me!" A loud roar of thunder pierced the air, the thunderbolt missed me by an inch and hit the Elder's head.

I followed up with a spirit combo, electricity was flowing around my body as my Heaven's Thunder awoken its true power.  
Amatsu blocks the incoming Final-Slash with its front fin, unfortunately for Amatsu, my blade cuts it clean off.

A loud roar of pain was heard as the dragon retreated back to the safety of the clouds.

My blade was glowing a faint goldish color – second stage of the spirit gauge.

"Ryoku, prepare yourself!" Raito runs up to me and points at the sky with his sword – it was now that I notice his blade glowing a light blue.

Shaking the thought away was my only option, for now, my eyes scan the heavens until they spot a certain area that was being sucked in – as if something behind it was charging a devastating attack. "Split up! It's about to summon the Grand Vortex Beam!"

Raito and I ran in opposite directions, the entire field freezes in time as the skies open up and revealed an Amatsu charging up its strongest attack.  
Everything was being absorbed into its power, even the rain had disappeared – all of this was happening so fast – the sound of a bell chimed while an enormous beam sliced the earth in two.  
A second bell was heard, and the earth shook under its might, the ground underneath my feet erupted and sent me flying upwards as the beam narrowly missed me – the third bell rang as it summoned forth the tempest, everything went back to normal and the skies darken once more.

I got up on my feet and started running towards Raito – the ground was sliced up, forcing me to jump over the ravines Amatsu had created with its sheer power.

The sound of many bells started ringing once more, Amatsu was curled up at the center, and its wind was pulling me towards it.

 _'C-Crap, I can't fight it,'_ My light weighted body was working against me this time.

"I gotcha!" Raito appeared out of nowhere and wrapped an arm around my waist, his other hand was holding onto Arashi – which was planted in the ground.

I nod in gratitude and followed his example by stabbing the ground with my own sword, locking both of us in place.  
The wind was starting to increase in strength with every second, it cost us a great amount of energy to not let go of our weapons.

Even if our lives were in danger, it was truly astonishing to see Amatsu summon a gigantic hurricane that ate the sky. The elder was unaffected by this power as it flew into it and stared us down from the center of its creation.

"It is resting! Now's your chance Raito!" I summon some electricity – which got absorbed by Arashi.

"You have my gratitude!" Raito pulls the blade out of the ground as the wind died down – an arrow of light pierced through the air, the thunderbolt struck Amatsu straight in the chest, causing it to fall to the ground.

The Elder was struggling to get up – sadly for it, we were already upon it and started our spirit combo.

Raito and I took turns in striking the same spot, blow after blow, our blades were in complete sync as we entered the final stage of our spirit gauges.

Two blades, one crimson red, the other was a violet color – they stood next to each and prepared the final chain of attacks.

 _'For every hit, the longsword gets,'_ They activated the spirit combo with a strong draw attack. _  
_The second spirit attack was next, a horizontal slash – followed by a diagonal. Both warriors stood on opposite sides of each other, Amatsu neck was marked with death upon losing its scales and revealing its flesh.

' _The blade shall grow stronger, and should the user and blade taste blood,'_ Both blademasters performed an overhead slash. The light surrounding the blades got absorbed, both swords got engulfed in a black aura as their masters prepared the final strike.

' _While also finding the courage to end the life of a superior being – the blade shall cut through anything.'_ The Final-Slash sliced through anything in its path, the sound of air and raindrops being cut in two was heard, the sound of bone crushing rang in their ears as both weapons were sheathed.

Amatsu drops and its body goes limp.

The skies start clearing up and the harsh storm disappears completely, revealing a beautiful blue sky with a rainbow.

I take a deep breath and fall onto my knees. My blade was glowing a crimson red but soon fades to nothing after it sensed that I have given up on fighting.

Raito who was limping a bit - and was using Arashi as a walking stick - was now approaching me. "Man, that thing almost got us a few times." His joke brought a smile to my face, mostly because I was rather relieved to see him alive.

I decide to question him one last time before I passed out. "Can you carry one hundred and thirty pounds?" I ask him with a light smile.

"In these conditions? Sorry, but I can't even carry myself." Raito lets out a small chuckle.

"Hrrg... Fine, we'll just walk next to each other." I force myself to stand.

We both use each other as support in order to walk down the mountain and get back to the villagers who were waiting for our return.

 _..._

Soon enough we reach Raito's people, who were waiting for our arrival. All of them were shocked to see the condition we were in, but happy to hear that the issue has been resolved.

The mysterious crimson thunder soon disappeared shortly after Amatsu's death.

Raito decided to still follow his idea of leaving the mountain, hoping to give his village an easier life. In the next following days, I took my time in recovering and helping them construct their new village next to an already existing one – one famous for their countless Moofahs.

It wasn't long till the day for my departure had finally arrived.

"Thank you, Ryoku. Truly my village owes you so much." Raito expresses his gratitude in front of the entire tribe.

"It was nothing, I was just doing my job." I smile gently as I stood in front of the airship.

"You're truly admirable, however, I heard hunters enjoy having a reward after a risky quest." Raito grins as he says this and steps forward. "I have decided to come along with you on your adventure, as your personal bodyguard."

"Decline." I start getting on the airship.

"Whoa! Not so fast now, I'm dead serious. The least I can do for our savior is offer them my protection. This is my destiny as one of the Arashi members, and I would like to be remembered for generations to come, just like my ancestors." He quickly explains as he grabs me by the arm and looks me right in the eye.

For the longest time, we stare into one another, looking for any signs of doubt. I let out a deep sigh before gesturing him to get on the ship.

"I swear, if you ever start crying about this decision, I'll personally throw you off a cliff," I tell the man, I cover my mouth as I realized what I just said.

"Wow, I didn't think you had a sharp tongue," Raito laughs as he enters the small vessel.

I look back at the villagers - Yen stood in front of them all, everyone had smiles and were waving.  
I get off the ship and made way to Yen, who looked confused at first but walks towards me after realizing I had something to say.

Yen was the one who helped me heal up during the days I was recovering and also helped me fit in with the village, so I had to tell him how thankful I was.

"I assume your brother has already said goodbye to everyone." I decide to break the ice with a small and obvious topic.

"Yea, I'll be the 'hidden' leader for the time being. Just make sure he comes back safely, he can be sometimes of an air head, but he's a very nice guy." Yen says with a smile.

"Honestly, I don't know how this will work out," I sigh as I shake my head.

"Don't worry, he has Arashi and should be able to pull his weight," Yen looks back at his brother who waves with a smile. "I hope..." Yen mutters.

I fake a smile for the sake of everyone watching.

"Thank you." I hug Yen as a sign of gratitude for what he has done for everyone.

He fought the elements of the outside world in order to find help for them, he will be a great leader and I know that Raito also agrees.

I let go of the young boy who was blushing and pat him on the head before going back on the airship.

Raito had a smug smile on his face as I got back on the vessel, I decided to ignore him and wave at the people down below as the airship started ascending – countless goodbyes, cheers, and good luck were said.

But one voice stood above them all...

"KICK SOME ASS BOTH OF YOU!" Yen shouted from the top of his lungs as they grew smaller and smaller.

Soon enough, we could no longer see them.

"Heh, I'll be lying if I said I wasn't nervous," Raito said next to me. "Oh, and I was thinking, since I'm devoting my life to protect you, does that make you my princess or something?" He chuckles with a grin.

"Please, stop... Before I throw you off for real." I mutter.

* * *

It was near sunset once I finished telling the story to my friends.

Raito was leaning on a tree with a grin on his face. "Good times, good times..." He mutters to himself.

"That sounded so cool!" Jenny exclaims happily.

"Truly, a tale of legend." Lucas compliments me.

"Well, I guess it was an interesting tale... But sadly I met the man that most likely annoys me on a day to day basis." I glare at Raito.

Raito had a smirk on his face. "Hey, you know I'm just joking around."

I just sigh as I listen to Jenny question. "Did you ever go back and visit the village?" She said in a rather serious tone.

"Not really... I haven't had the time, but I'm pretty sure they're all okay." I respond.

"Hmm, I see." Jenny grew rather quiet as she pondered on something.

"Well, it's getting late and we should all go back to the villa." Lucas starts standing up while shaking his clothes to get rid of any grains sand.

We all agree and start getting up as well.

I was walking at the back of the group along with Raito, it was rather easy to sense that he had something to say – or rather, I knew him very well and it was obvious to me.

Jenny and Lucas were arguing up ahead, so they wouldn't notice our conversation. "Something on your mind?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you something – I'm fully aware that I reminded you of your brother, but I never said who, you, reminded me of."

I tilt my head in response. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to,"

"I wouldn't be telling you this if I did," Raito let out a chuckle. "The storm took many lives, among them were my parents and a very close friend of mine. She lost her life upon shielding Yen from a falling building, I guess her cold – but secretly overprotected personality is similar to yours."

"Ah, but you soon realized that I wasn't her,"

Raito puts both of his hands behind his head. "Well yeah, you both look completely different – plus she would've allowed me to leave the village without a word."

"Sorry, I was a difficult person back then, I have no idea how you managed to handle me all this time."

Raito chuckles. "I can say the same about myself,"

"Yeah, but you annoy me on purpose in order to keep my mind busy, my past self, had little to no sanity left." Those words came out with shame, I was angry at myself for being such a brat.

"Hey now, don't beat yourself up; if I were in your shoes, I probably would have felt the same way."

I suddenly realize something. "Your way of speaking has changed completely,"

Raito happily changes the topic and humors me. "Yes, it has and I can only blame you guys."

 _..._

It wasn't long till we reached the household, we all went up to our rooms and got ready for dinner. I was the last one to arrive at the dining hall, or so I thought at first glance. Jenny didn't appear for dinner, which was rather odd considering how much she loved to eat.  
After our meal, I decided to check up on her and see what was wrong – since it has been two hours since I last saw her.

I knock on the door, hoping to find Jenny in her room.

A few seconds passed, but soon enough, I hear footsteps. The door opens and our energetic blonde peaks her head out.

"Yes, Blizzy?"

"Ah, there you are. You suddenly disappeared and I was worried, is everything okay?" I ask her as she stares blankly towards my direction.

"Huh? Oh um, yeah I'm perfectly fine." Jenny responded a bit distant as if she wasn't paying attention at all.

"Then where did you run off after we left the lake," I question her once more.

"I went out for a small walk, that's all." She said casually.

"Jenny, you can't fool me any longer, I been noticing your attitude changing even if it's subtle. For crying out loud you missed dinner today." I suddenly feel disappointed in her for not trusting me.

"D-Don't worry about me, truly I'm fine..." She responded with hesitation.

"Ah, is that so?" I narrow my eyes and gave her a firm nod. "Very well, goodnight then." I turn towards my room, but Jenny stops me before I reached my door.

"Blizzy, wait..." She sighs before continuing. "Truth is, I'm not alright. After you told that story, memories of my childhood started haunting me." She responded in a low tone while staring at the floor, her blonde hair was covering her eyes.

"Jenny..." I mutter under my breath as my eyes soften.

"But, I've settled myself and... I guess calmed myself down." She said with a lot of doubt evident in her voice.

"If you want, we can talk in private." I walk over to her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Y-yea I would like that, come inside."

As I entered her room, I notice it was bit messy – there was a lot of hammer parts scattered around.

"You can sit down on the bed or anywhere else..." Jenny said nervously.

"Jenny, if you wish to not speak of this, I fully understand and I'll leave without a word..." I remind her that she wasn't being forced into this situation.

"Well since you shared plenty of your backstory, it's only fair that I share some of my childhood," Jenny replies as she sits next to me on the large bed.

I sat in silence and waited for her to speak, in no way was I going to rush her – talking about past traumas felt like stabbing yourself with a knife.

"I've already told you about my parents being dead. I never once, told you why or how..." Jenny starts talking slowly and carefully – as to not hurt herself in any way possible.

I close my eyes in order to take everything in and avoid things getting more awkward or uncomfortable.

"I never really talked about my childhood or my mother in general, now that I think about it." She mutters in realization.

A sigh escapes her mouth before finally telling me what happened. "Well, truth is, I lost my mother when I was around two months old. My Father told me that she died when trying to protect me against a wild Arzuros during a camping trip... Zeox, my father, managed to kill off the Arzuros, but my mother didn't make it – she passed away before she received any type of medical treatment."

I could tell she was holding back her emotions, every word she said was causing a lot of distress, it felt like I was staring into a mirror – a mirror that showed my past self – I wanted to help her as much as I could, just like Raito helped me.

I open my eyes as I give her a reassuring gaze.

"Your story at the lake reminded me of all of this due to the thunderstorm. You see, I'm very afraid of anything related to electricity if its out of our control, the reason being because my Father died to a Zinogre. The whole ordeal was random and happened without warning. There was no preparation, evacuate or anything!" Jenny grips her knees in anger.

"A pack of Zinogres decided to assault our village and murder everyone they could find. While Father and other hunters tried to fight off the monsters, I stood in the ruins of my home hiding in fear..."

Jenny's eyes start to tear up but she simply rubs them and continues.

"Suddenly a Zinogre showed up and found me... I was in shock and couldn't move a muscle, the Zinogre took advantage of this and shot an electrical ball at me."

This made me feel angry, just hearing people in danger was enough to make my blood boil.

"However, before the attack could reach me, Father leap in the way and took the blow. He had sacrificed his entire lower torso for the sake of my life, it also bought enough time for the other hunters to arrive and save me. Unfortunately, the damage was done and Father passed away later that evening." Jenny said with a shaky voice, she was dangerously close to crying.

I rub her back gently to show that I was there for her and she responded with a small smile before continuing.

"After all of that, I just remember that I felt like an outcast, spending most of my time alone and never meeting new people. I had only started meeting new hunters that I could call friends till I got to Val'Habar and met you guys. Even if I seem completely different as I describe myself, it's only because I prefer to show off my happiness rather than my sorrow... I always have a smile on my face for the sake of others."

"But you're happy with us, right?" I whisper gently.

"I do enjoy being in the Guild, truly I do! It makes me forget about my past, however, you getting dangerously ill has reminded me of how fragile everything is – how everything won't ever be perfect like I want it to." Jenny looks down and stays quiet.

Something told me to hug her out of instinct, I held her in my arms and told her everything was going to be alright – how everything in this world is never determined, but that also allowed us to forge it how we want it to be.

Jenny started crying, finally breaking the dam that has been holding back a river of sadness.

Minutes pass and Jenny barely starts to calm down into normal tears and light sobs.

It was my turn to speak. "You know, I'm not used to helping others like this," I whisper as I rub her head gently. "But, faking a smile is the worse thing you could possibly do...They're never true to one's emotions and only bring pain, I speak from experience."

She didn't say anything, so I decided to continue talking.

"However, I do know that I will always be there for you – I'll never abandon you, or ever be ashamed of being friends with you. Jenny, you and the others are like family to me, and I care deeply for every single one of you - even if I never show it, so promise me to never smile unless you mean it." I tell her in the most gentle way possible.

Jenny grips my back a bit harder but nods slowly while still having her face buried into my chest.

I lost track of how long we were in that position, but Jenny ended up falling asleep so I tucked her in bed before returning to my dorm without another word.  
Upon entering my room and closing the door behind me, I drop on my knees and let my forehead hit the wooden floor.

Yes, I was the leader of this group – and yes, I was the strongest in said group. However, this didn't mean that I didn't have my own faults and moments of panic.  
My mental state was exhausted, and I know very well that I can't protect everyone. At the very least I can encourage them all to move forward, lead them the way, and be there for them at all times.

"M-Meowster?" I hear Momo's light footsteps.

I sit on my knees and gave her a smile. "Sorry, I'm just really tired."

"Okai, nya." Momo went underneath the bed again.

' _Sometimes the little girl inside of me wants to cry, but she also reminds me of how powerful I am, even if my memories are painful – they are what crafted me to who I am today – I don't regret any of them, I'm almost grateful even, because with their help - I know I can make happier ones.'_

With a final sigh and a single tear dropping off of my cheek, I head to bed and let myself drift from my worries for now.  
 _  
_

* * *

 **AN: Long chapter heh, well this is the length I'll be aiming at for every future chapter - let us see how long I can keep it up. (Especially since I post once a week.)**

 **Character Introduction:**

Richard Heart

Hair color: Dark red.  
Eye color: Grey.  
Height: 6'4  
Skin tone: Pale  
Age: 44

 **Rose Heart**

Hair color: Bright crimson red.  
Eye color: Sky blue.  
Height: 6'0  
Skin tone: Pale  
Age: ?

 **Yen Arashi**

Hair color: Brown  
Eye color: Blue  
Height: 5'5  
Skin tone: Light  
Age: 16 (15 during the story telling.)

 **Alright, I'll be adding a new segment, each Hunter has their own personal traits that work like in-game skills. Since skills are no longer tied with armor in my story - I'll be adding them via personality and what weapons that Hunter uses the most, or rather, what they've mastered.  
** **  
We'll start with Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku:**

Brutality - Origin: MH4U

Focus

Evasion+1

Marathon Runner

Snow Seraph - This skill was made by me and its meant to be a personal trait for Blizzard: The skill gives the user ColdBlooded and Divine Blessing.


	3. Chapter 3: The King's Request

**Finally! After a one week break, we're back! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: In no way do I claim the Monster Hunter series as my own, all content goes to their rightful owners.**

* * *

Upon opening my eyes, I find myself in an old familiar house with paper thin walls. I rub my left eye as I look around the room, everything felt normal but yet very distant somehow – as if I wasn't truly here but yet at the same time I was.

Suddenly I hear a male voice, that seemingly spoke out of nowhere. "Oh, morning! I was about to wake you up, Father is almost done preparing our training lesson."

"Right, I'll be there in a bit," I said back without thinking as if I couldn't control my actions.

Getting an old bamboo stick was the next thing I went for, followed by a fur coat and boots. I walked out of the room and went down a cold dark hallway, it felt like I knew exactly where I was going, so I didn't bother lighting up the candles – I then proceeded to slide open a door and step into a large room that was known as our dojo.

' _Wait, our dojo? What's going on.'_ I kept moving without actually deciding too, it felt like I was watching everything that was happening.

"Nice, you got here before Father. He'll be happy to see you working harder, trust me he enjoys being proud of you!" A young male voice rings through the entire room, but I have yet to see the actual person talking.

"I hope so... He's a rather tough person to impress." I talk back to the voice casually and as if the person was right in front of me.

A door from the other side of the room opened up and a large man with white hair and brown eyes walked into the room; he was wearing a long white coat with casual clothing.

 _'Father has arrived, looks like we're training again this morning.'_ I prepared myself mentally for the long day ahead.

"Good morning, did both of you sleep well?" He says as he steps into the room.

Both the familiar voice and I said yes in unison.

Father looks at me and sees the bamboo stick in my hand, he lets out a chuckle.

"Ah, I see. Eager to train are we?" He says while walking towards a rack of other large training weapons.

 _'Eager? But this is the normal routine, there's no reason to be against it after begging it to stop for a couple of years, it was futile at this point.'_ I think to myself as I look down at my hands.

To my surprise, my hands were smaller then I remembered as if I was in my early teens.

"It's good to see you're having a change of mind! I thought you would never stop disagreeing, you sure proved me wrong." My Father's voice was filled with pride.

I stand there quietly, I rather not annoy the man in any way at the very moment.

"Very well, Blizzard, would you like to go first." Father gestures to the center of the room with his practice weapon.

It was more of a command, rather than a question, so I proceeded to nod and followed his instructions.

Father stood before me – he was twice my size – glaring down upon me with his sword in hand.

I held my wooden blade with one hand while my other hand was in my pocket – it would allow me to dodge and use faint attacks with ease – it was a very cheap way of winning in mere seconds, but I didn't care when it came to fighting Father.

"What a weird stance my child, you're wide open, but if you so wish to continue with such a position, I'll humor you." His stance was more traditional, with both hands on the hilt of the sword and the tip of the blade pointing towards my head.

Before the fight starts, I close my eyes and allowed my body to take control over my movements – all of my concentration was poured into hearing any type of movement.

In a heartbeat, I felt the attacks land with great strength as I blocked them and parry them away from me.  
I decided to go on the offensive as I opened up my eyes, Father had a look of shock – which caused me to smirk – I dashed forward and landed two jabs on his chest, ending the match in an instant.

A gasp of surprise was heard from the older man before he spoke up. "How..." He demanded an explanation.

"I'm very observant," I said without hesitation, my eyes were narrowed – and lazily stared at him, I have had enough of him.

My father, Hayate, was annoyed upon seeing my disrespectful gaze. "Lift up your sword young lady, we're not done." He goes back to his battle ready stance.

I decided to humor the old man and let out a sigh. "I'm not attacking," I closed my eyes once more. "Your own strength will be your downfall," I whisper as I heard incoming footsteps.

The barrage of attacks was parried by my sword, I landed two more direct blows in the same place I did before. "Checkmate," I mutter out.

"How did you learn." He orders me to answer.

I open my eyes and tilt my head in confusion. "You taught me."

"I don't ever recall teaching you how to summon our – ..!" Hayate's eyes widen in realization after cutting himself off.

I giggle. "I'm very 'observant'," I repeat myself, this time saying the last word with more emphasis.

"Your eyes have a special effect that causes exhaustion whenever you're serious, I have come to realize that – so I trained myself to fight blindly."

Hayate was shocked at first, but his face grows into one of pride. "My, my... I never knew I had such a talented daughter – tell me, sweetheart, why have you held yourself back in such ways?"

"It's cheating," I said back. "Using such tactics, even if they're blessings, is cheating when your opponent doesn't have such luxuries."

Father nodded but gave me a stern look. "However, in a life or death scenario, one must do everything they can in order to preserve their life."

"I rather die with honor then step down to the level of a mere rat." My words were aimed at him, and I position myself back to a combat stance – one that Raito taught me.

 _'Wait, Raito? Why do I know..? Ah, this is a dream...'_ I could feel my heartbeat rising, but I calmed myself down after a few seconds, which prevented me from waking up for now. _'I want to experience this old memory a bit longer...'_

My dream quickly takes over again and replaces my future stance with the old one I used against my Father, I didn't have the energy to control what was going on – or at least it felt that way, my body felt exhausted but my movements completely belied that.

"Your stubbornness will be your downfall! _"_ Hayate yelled before engaging.

Father was quick to charge in, this time I wasn't closing my eyes – since Hayate wasn't using his cheap trick. Even if the man was twice my size, I was still able to use his strength against him – and with the help of fluid movements, was able to counter every time.

There was a reason as to why I would always wake up late, a reason as to why I never showed much effort during the day – it was simple to me, but completely unexpected by others. I would continue training by sneaking out of the house via my window; training from dusk fall to midnight, every day, just to figure out how to beat my Father.

 _'Yes, I remember this day now, it was the same day I bested him for the entire morning – the day I said I would be leaving Pokke, the day I became a Huntress.'_ This day was something I always dreamed of as a child, after seven years of harsh self-training, today was the day I would fully demonstrate how strong I was and make that dream reality.

However, even as I beat my mentor, this fighting style was completely useless in the real world – for it was only invented to beat a single man. This sadly resulted in me always losing against my brother, Storm – causing Hayate to think I was weak, and that I needed extra training.

More blows were traded, countless counters and parries were made – but each time, I was victorious.

One set, became ten, ten became fifty – this will go on for the entire morning. The week prior to this day, I made sure to sleep early and eat as much as I could, conserving as much stamina as I could.  
Yes, I was weaker than any other swordmaster, but in my eyes – defeating my Father and earning my freedom was my only goal.

"My stubbornness brought me this victory!" With a shout, I landed the last strike that I needed that day. Hayate fell to the ground and lost for the final time.

Not once did he land a blow on me, and it was finally evident to him, that I was superior, even at such a young age.

* * *

I woke up in a cold sweat and felt like I ran a marathon – recollection of what I dreamed of, filled my mind.

 _'How odd, why did I dream about something that happened six years ago?'_ After a few minutes of sitting in bed, I shrug it off – since it was a major event in my life, I simply assumed that I was remembering one of my favorite days that ever transpired.

I got out of bed and started getting ready for the day – I would be wearing pants, flats, a normal shirt and the coat I bought in Dundorma – Momo was quick to join me before I left the room and we headed downstairs, I was planning on going outside for a bit before everyone woke up.

There was a maid cleaning up the front entrance, so I naturally told her that I would be back and if she could tell the others when they woke up, said maid gave me a smile and told me it would be the first thing she does upon seeing them.

I was curious about the town near this villa – the same we saw the night we arrived – this was the reason as to why I took the same path we used to get here. Besides the fact that it was the only road I knew in the first place and I didn't want to get lost.

"What now Meowster?" Momo was walking beside me this time.

I look around – there were a few food stands and people preparing their merchandise. "Well, I wanted to see how people live in Yselz, but we can buy some street food since we skipped breakfast."

"Okay!"

It was then when I noticed a delicious scent in the air – which caused me to turn my head – there was a man selling some warm bread, and it seemed like we could also pick a stuffing to go along with it.

I decided to walk over and buy one for both Momo and I. "Two of those please."

"That would be five hundred zenny each!" The man said happily.

 _'That's rather expensive, a normal full course meal is only three hundred..,'_ I give him the money without much of a fight. _'The economy is vastly different here by the looks of it.'_

I gave Momo her meal and went over to a nearby bench. The morning was windy and most likely cold – the sky was also very cloudy as if it was going to rain.

"Meowster, Momo has a question."

I look down at my felyne partner, who was sitting on my lap. "Go ahead,"

"Why was Meowster talking about a smile during her sleep?" Momo's eyes were filled with curiosity.

 _'Ah, so I was talking in my sleep... Well, I'm fine with telling Momo.'_ I finished my food before answering her question.

"You see, my bloodline is rather weird – we have a side effect that is caused by our eyes, our smile is the trigger to this power, and so when I'm smiling during battle when I feel confident and serious, it does terrible effects to anyone who stares into my eyes," I told her with a clear voice.

Momo gave me a nod. "But, when Meowster smiles, it makes me feel safe." She said.

I held in a chuckle. "That's because when I'm happy – it has a different effect, one that brings peace to those around me."

It was a very odd ability, but even as I said this – I can't really control it anymore. I lost that ability ever since my Brother passed away, it has shown up at random times, but generally, I prefer to avoid it and never use it; besides, it only works on human beings or small creatures.

"Momo is proud of herself, getting to help Meowster is an honor!"

I pet her head lightly. "Alright, lets head back – I'm sure the others are worried."

 _..._

The villa was now in view, and I soon notice that two of my friends – Jenny and Aegis – were at the entrance waiting for someone.

Jenny was the first one to notice and runs to me. "Liz! There you are," She grabs both of my hands and pouted. "I was worried sick!" Jenny exclaims and looked like she was about to scold me some more.

Aegis stops her luckily. "Calm down, the maids told us where she went – so no harm was done." He then greets me by raising his palm, along with a smile.

"Why are you both out here anyways?" I ask them both.

Aegis was quick to explain. "Lucas plans on taking us around town."

"Yea! You should definitely join us." Jenny invites me along.

I nod, as I was planning on joining them anyways for today's events – there was really nothing else for me to do either way.

I hear the door open and three large males exit the building. "Oh, looks like you found her," Lucas says casually as he walks outside.

"You should at least tell me personally when you plan on leaving so suddenly..." Raito complains.

"I can protect myself just fine," I responded back almost instantly after he said that.

Wayland starts laughing. "I'm afraid that young Blizzard is in charge, Raito."

Raito sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose as everyone starts laughing. "Alright already, let's just head out." He changes the topic.

We all start walking down the path I took recently, but instead of going to the town I was in – Lucas takes a sharp turn and leads us to a bridge that goes over a small river.

As we reach a crossroad, Lucas slows down and gestures us to stop for a bit. "Anything you guys want to see in particular?"

Aegis raised his hand. "An armory, Wayland and I didn't find any good ones – so maybe you could show us the best one in Yselz."

Everyone was okay with this idea, it would be interesting to see what kind of weapons they use in these parts. "Alright, just follow me then." And with that, Lucas lead us through a series of alleys.

 _'Is it just me, or does Lucas use this method of travel too often,'_ I made myself giggle, which caught the attention of Raito who was walking next to me.

"Is something the matter?"

I shake my head. "No, I just remembered something."

Raito raises an eyebrow but didn't push the matter any further. "Ah, by the way – did you leave your weapon on purpose?"

 _'Hmm, I sincerely forgot about my charge-blade, but he doesn't need to know that.'_ I shake my head once more and told him no, that I left it back in my room on purpose in order to look normal.

Lucas caught everyone's attention before we stepped out of the alley and into the streets. "Before we head into public, I'll like to inform everyone as to how people react to hunters,"

We all stood in a semi-circle around Lucas as he spoke. "Hunters are only known around these parts as legends or myths, only children believe that they exist – this is why the armory is also vastly different, the weapons in there only specialize in combating other humans and not monsters."

"And these are knight weapons, correct?" I said out loud.

"Aye, Knights maintain order around these parts, just like Hunters do in the wild. Keep in mind that we can't reveal that we're Hunters, it'll make everyone panic – especially if we use our elements." Lucas said the last part in a whisper.

 _'Are elements ban around these parts or something?'_ It was too late to ask him that question, as he already started walking.

We stood in front of an armory that had a fancy sign – Armory for Knights. _'Pretty straight forward,'_ We then walk into the store.

It was a lot more different compared to Wayland's shop, that's for sure.

The room was large and I could see mirrors and rooms for changing purposes everywhere. There was also a few people looking through display cases, armors were up for display on wooden mannequins – there were multiple workers behind the counter, that being said, I could already tell this armory was famous.

"Whoa, the place looks elegant," Jenny says as she walks to the nearest weapon.

"Careful, Jenny, mind your manners." Lucas reminds her as he stands next to me.

"How about we split up and look around?" Aegis offers, which we happily agree and go our own separate ways.

After a few minutes of searching, I found a nice section that had some good looking rapiers and double edge swords, but all of them were made from ores, an indication of them being weak compared to my own weapons.

"Hi, Liz." Jenny walks up to me with a bored expression.

"Is something wrong?" I ask her.

"Yes, there is something wrong! Something wrong with this armory that is! They have zero hammers, just some weird large axes that are cheap." Jenny complains, with an agitated expression.

"I see... Well, Lucas did say that the weapons would be a bit different." I said back while being a bit distracted – due to observing a blade closely.

"Oh they're different, that's for sure. There's a weapon called a halberd and a two handed spear thing that reminds me of the lance but it like doesn't have a huge shield-" Jenny continues to complain next to me as I observe the blade, I just naturally zone her voice out of existence – something that I thankfully mastered over time.

After a few minutes, I let out a sigh as I feel like I won't be buying anything today from this store. "So no hammers?" I decide to rejoin the subject.

"Yup, zero hammers. Apparently, it's a 'bad' weapon to use in Yselz – I swear, I'm going to show how 'bad' a hammer feels when I shove it up their asses." Jenny exclaims with passion and fire burning in her eyes.

"Okay Jenny, just stop yelling – I feel like you're scaring people away."

Jenny pouts and stomps her foot lightly. "It just isn't fair... Fine, I'll go look for Aegis."

 _'She has a lot of energy today, especially considering what happened last night – I hope she feels better now.'_

"Your friend sure has a ton of energy." A female voice interrupts my train of thought.

I turn around and responded fast and kindly. "Indeed she does."

This person made me wary, a mysterious aura surrounded her – one of a high status, if the armor wasn't any indication of her rank, her posture of confidence would tell it with ease.  
Unlike General Zaleo, this woman had black armor with silver patterns – her hair was a very dark purple, I could only tell it wasn't black due to the sunlight making it shine a lighter shade. Her light crimson red eyes would intimidate anyone under her rank.

"Greetings, my name is Yuki, an elite knight of Yselz." She introduces herself.

"Oh, nice to meet you. My name is Ishi'Ryoku, a rookie who's just looking for a new weapon." I lie with ease.

"Ah, I see. May I ask who is your head knight? I haven't heard of your name." She quickly questions me with a smug smile on her face.

"I have yet to have one. In fact, I'm planning on signing up soon, I said I was a rookie since I felt a bit embarrassed to not have a rank yet." I responded calmly.

"Understandable, well I would like to chit-chat but I believe I must get going. Good luck with your entrance exam... You'll need it." She said the latter as she turned away and eyed me with a grin.

 _'Well, that was weird.'_ I tilt my head, but quickly shrug my confusion away and decided to find the others.

 _..._

"Man was that an experience." Raito comments.

"You can say that again, there were so many cool new looking weapons," Aegis says with excitement.

"Yay, how fun," Jenny says with little energy, most likely still annoyed that Hammers don't exist in Yselz.

Wayland laughed loudly. "Don't worry young Jenny, I brought many weapon parts – if you want, I can make you a hammer of your choice."

Jenny's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Wayland, you're the best!"

Raito walks up to me. "Did you find any weapon of interest, Ryoku?"

"Not really, all the weapons seemed-"

"KNIGHTS! STOP THAT BANDIT!" We hear a female voice yell in desperation.

We all looked and got ready to sprint as five bandits ran past us at blinding speeds.

I trip two of them with my legs, Jenny and Lucas quickly jump upon them. "Aegis, Raito!" I dash after the other three outlaws.

One of the bandits look back and notice us chasing after them. "Back off knights! You'll never catch up!" One of the outlaws takes a sharp turn and ran into a dark alley.

"I'll get him!" Aegis follows suit and chases after him.

Raito and I kept running closely behind the other two– we weren't really sprinting at full speed, there were just too many people in the way.  
I leap over an incoming wheel carriage and kept running, this time the streets were a bit more open and had fewer people – this allowed me to reach one of the bandits, but I ignored this man and kept running for the one up ahead.

As I approach the fastest one of the two, I saw something shine from the palm of his hand – reflexes kicked in and I tackle him to the ground as he turned around in order to stab me.

I punch the man in the face, knocking him out cold – a shadow looms over me, I quickly turn and did my best to dodge the incoming knife, but it was too late for me.  
My eyes closed, but the pain never came. I open them slowly and realized what had happened in mere seconds.

"How dare you strike a lady." Raito had blocked the knife with the palm of his hand – the blade was piercing through it, and blood was starting to drip to the ground.

The bandit was shocked but gave him a sickening grin. "If any of you move, I'll twist this knife and make sure he loses his hand."

 _'R-Raito...'_ The public eye was starting to watch what was going on, which made me worry even more.

Raito lets out a sigh. "You're truly pathetic," In a blink of an eye, Raito touched the hilt of Arashi and shocked the bandit with such power that I thought Raito had killed the man.

I got up from the ground and made sure the one I attacked was still unconscious. "Where's Aegis?"

"HEY!" A short but loud shout was enough for us to react – enough for Raito to shock the living hell out of the next outlaw and then proceeded to imprison him with electricity.

"Raito, stop – we aren't supposed to show our elements."

"I don't care! They dared try to harm you – I'll show no mercy!"

I reassure him that I was fine, but he points to my side – which was bleeding rapidly. _'D-damn, I didn't notice – my adrenaline must have kept me from noticing the pain.'_

Raito proceeded to yell at the bandit. "You! Dare try to touch those pillars of energy and you'll surely die, I recommend sitting quietly until the knights arrive."

Aegis runs up to the scene shortly after. "This bastard got away by wounding an elder." He was talking about the one we caged up.

The pain was starting to kick in and I felt a burning sensation around the stab wound. "We need a medic," I mutter weakly.

Raito turned with concern. "Aegis, I'll drop the electrical field – make sure to grab this bastard and torture him if needed."

Aegis followed his command and they both swap positions. "Ryoku, I'll need to carry you back to the villa – Lucas' mother happens to be a doctor."

"I can still walk," As I attempted to stand up properly, the pain appeared again, but this time it was unbearable.

Raito wasted no time in picking me up bridal style and started running.

 _'What is with people carrying me like this!?'_ I was obviously embarrassed but he was right, I needed medical treatment if the knife had hit a vital area.

We ran pass a group of knights and I caught glimpses of Lucas, Wayland, and Jenny – Jenny tried to run after us, but something made her trip as if her leg was wounded.  
My vision was getting a bit blurry on the edges, Raito had a look of concentration as he ran through the crowded streets.

After a minute so, we entered the villa's territory – Raito was still running at full force and showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

Once Raito stood in front of the door, he started shouting for help. "Open the door, we need help!"

The door opens and reveals a maid, her eyes widen once she sees me. "Come in quickly! I'll get madam Rose." The maid sprints out of view with ease, as if she was trained to do such things her entire life.

Two other maids take over and told us to enter a nearby room – Raito didn't hesitate.

They carefully laid me down on the bed, and it was only a few seconds later when Rose ran into the room.

"Get my tools one of you," She rushes to my side and starts examining me. "Hmm, we need some lighting."

The maids brought a lantern and the tools she requested. "What an obvious knife wound, luckily it isn't deep nor something we should worry about."

An audible sigh was heard from Raito, I smiled in gratitude. "That's good news, but after you finish healing me – you might want to patch up Raito's hand."

Raito's eyes widen. "I completely forgot about my injury."

"My, my." Rose shakes her head. "A maid should be able to clean his injury, I'll stitch it back to normal in a bit."

* * *

"Man, what a scare!" Jenny exclaimed as she sat on the bed near me.

I look down at my bandaged up stomach region. "Things went in our favor for the most part."

Lucas chuckles. "Yes, but we also got in trouble, a squadron of knights will be coming to see us soon."

"Was it because of the element?" I said while looking at Raito.

"Sadly, yes. Now the people want answers, and rumors are spreading – you see, here in Yselz, the only ones who can use elemental powers are the royal family." Lucas explained.

Aegis closed his book before speaking. "An efficient way of maintaining peace, people like the outlaws we saw today won't be able to summon a flaming dagger or something."

"Correct, and this is why they have never taught anyone but the royals, to master the elements," Lucas concluded.

"So what now-" I was interrupted by a knock coming from the door.

The door knob turns and a familiar person with dark purple hair walks in. "Ah, pardon for intruding, but I would like to have a word with everyone in the living room," Yuki said with a smile.

The knight then left, which made everyone stays there in silence – we didn't know what exactly happened, but we followed her order anyway.

Said living room that we entered had around five knights and Yuki; waiting patiently for us.

Yuki spoke up as we sat down. "Hunters, you do realize that what you did earlier will cause us great problems,"

"Deepest apologies, princess Yuki." Lucas gave a short bow.

 _'Princess? Didn't know this person was a royal member – maybe that's why she spoke to me back at the armory, could she had already known about us?'_

This person that was apparently a princess, let out a sigh. "It is fine, Father will come up with an excuse – but we'll most likely have to disguise every single one of you as royals from another kingdom. The public already knows of Yselz requesting help from outsiders, so it shouldn't be an issue if we explain to them that you're said, help."

I decided to speak up. "When will we speak with King Kazan?"

Yuki redirects her gaze over to me. "Tomorrow, I'll make sure of that."

 _'Hmm, guess we'll finally know why they need us.'_ I watched quietly as Yuki stood up and prepared to leave.

"Ah, and before I leave, please try to avoid any public interactions until everything has been sorted out." The princess then proceeded to leave, along with her knights.

After making sure they had left – Lucas spoke up. "Anyone up for some training?"

 _..._

We stood outside of the villa – an open field was nearby and it was used for training, or at least that's what Lucas told us. Everyone started doing their own thing, however, I was mostly doing some practice swings due to my recent injury.

"Ryoku," I heard Raito's voice and footsteps. "Want to trade some strikes?"

"Uh, sure – just be a bit careful." I was referring to him and myself.

We stood in front of one another, trading very light attacks – just to distract our bodies as our minds raced. "I'll like to thank you for blocking the knife."

"Ah, not a problem – I feel proud of myself since this is what I trained myself for." Raito smiled, he was genuinely happy about protecting me today.

My attacks start picking up the pace, as I felt that my injury wasn't getting in the way. "Yes, and I fully admit that without your interference, I would had lost an eye."

I block an incoming strike with my shield as Raito replied. "Like I said, I'm doing this in order to return the favor, but because I want to."

"... Why?" I let the word fill the air, it wasn't any of my business – but I did want to know.

Raito just gave me a smile. "For many reasons, the main one is because you inspired me."

"Inspired?"

"Indeed, the mere fact that you risk your own life in order to save hundreds of strangers is astonishing to me – I can barely make myself protect one single person that I know very well." Raito swung wide, I parry it and strike him lightly on the chest with my blade.

"Ah, is that so," I leave my offensive stance and stood there for a bit. "Well, you're wrong – by your logic, you would be the stronger one."

Raito gave me a confused look. "May I have an explanation?"

"Give me a second," I was collecting the right words. "Look at it this way; even if I do help hundreds of people, I usually do it for the money or because I know I'll be fine, and even if I do help them all – a couple of them end up dying sometimes."

Raito stood there in silence.

"Hmm, like, I won't care if some random stranger passes away – sure I'll acknowledge that I didn't save one person, but will it hurt me? No, not really, because I didn't know them." I was doing my best to explain what I was trying to say. "A stranger's death goes away in a few days, but if it was a person who I care for, let's say, a lot – that pain would last me a lifetime."

Raito's eyes lit up in understanding. "Yea, I see what you're trying to say now."

I nod and continued. "Even when I get injured, it puts you on edge; now image myself being killed tomorrow."

"... That would be devastating to me." Raito looked down at the ground.

"When as if someone like, I don't know – some random person from the guild, if they would had been killed instead, I can assure you that you'll be fine after a week."

Raito has a light smile. "For a person who was lamenting for years, you're truly wise when it comes to these topics."

That made my heart sunk, Raito is a very honest person – even if he does tend to hurt others with the truth. "I can reflect on my past in a positive way."

"Ha, sorry, but thank you for making me realize that I have more potential than I thought." Raito takes the time to look around. "Ah, it's getting a bit dark – maybe we should head inside."

"Agree, we have a big day tomorrow." I sheath LaFalla and started walking to the villa.

* * *

I watched her leave, I didn't feel like returning just yet. "The main idea for joining her side was, inspiration, but I feel like its getting replace by something else – something that I won't be able to control if it keeps growing." I stared at the palm of my hand, the same one that protected her from a knife.

Ratio left the cold grassy field – the swordmaster felt like there was a gap between himself and Blizzard, one that only she could close.

The night soon arrived and our group of hunters slumbered.

 **The next day, at Yselz' castle bridge.**

It was a few hours after dawn, we stood at the start of the bridge, it was astonishing to see the enormous castle in front of us – the shadow it cascaded down on us was proof of its large size.

I look back, all of my friends were ready for any type of situation. Aegis was wearing his Kushala hoodie, along with his armor leggings and belts containing his ammo for his Silver Gun Lance.

Lucas was in Garuga armor – except for his helmet – his 'Sea-King's Twins' were placed on his sides, instead of the usual position on his back.

While Jenny had tight skin armor with golden plating, said armor was made out of nibelsnarf materials - Her mysterious Hammer was hanging loosely on her waist.

"Ready?" I look next to me, from which the voice came from, it was Raito – who was wearing his traditional black coat with golden symbols, just like when we fought Amatsu.

I gave him a nod. "Yes, of course." As for myself, I was using my Silver Rathalos coat like usual, along with my armor leggings and side pouch. LaFalla was strapped on my left arm, just like a Sword&Shield.

"Hunters," Richard caught our attention. "The king knows the name of Blizzard and Raito, as for everyone else – you'll be treated as their guards."

"That's fine," Aegis said as he took his position behind Raito and me. "But do the knights know of our arrival?"

Aegis was referring to the large gate up ahead, it seemed like a large group of guards were holding it down and they've already spotted us.

"Of course, it should be General Zaleo that's waiting for you," Richard responded.

I took this as the cue to start moving. "Listen up everyone, I want Jenny and Lucas behind Aegis, while Raito and I will be at the front, next to each other." They followed my orders and we started walking to the gate. The reason for having a defensive position was not there, but at the very least, it gave everyone a small sense of protection.

As we walk towards the observatory gate, no one dared to speak, not even Jenny. The knights had definitely spotted us and were keeping a close eye on us as we approached.

"Let them through!" We hear a shout and the gates start to open, revealing an escort group of knights waiting for us.

Once we were under the gate, Knights began walking next to us as we head to the knights were behind Jenny and Lucas, and another four in front of Raito and I. All of them had alloy armor, unlike Yuki and Zaleo who had capes, these knights did not have such a thing.

 _'Ah, so the cape represents someone of a very high ranking status,'_ It was an obvious detail, to say the least.

We reached the castle doors after a minute or so - it was heavily guarded - but this time the knights were wearing golden armor, similar to that of the ingot armor.

The alloy knights left after another escort team of ingot soldiers took over, while a familiar general walked up to us.

"Greetings once again!" Zaleo walked up with a smile and looks over to me. "I'll help escort your group into the palace."

Zaleo shouted to let us in and the large door opened up. "Let's us go over to the castle."

Upon entering the castle grounds, there were a few houses with people wondering around, most likely the nobles of the land or perhaps it was a small town for family members of high ranking soldiers. Either way, everyone was looking at us with curiosity as we walked towards a set of stairs guarded by two men in black and gold armor.

"Are these the Hunters?" One of the black knights questions.

"Indeed, they are!" Zaleo quickly answered them.

The knight looked at us one last time before speaking. "Very well, you may pass."

 _'These set of stairs are very similar to those back in Dundroma, the same ones that lead into the Elder hall.'_ I reflected as we started going up.

"I hate stairs," I hear Jenny complain at the back.

Zaleo let out a chuckle. "Stairs are a fantastic way to defend a castle."

 _'I can see why.'_ It would indeed tire anyone out after awhile.

Once we're done climbing up the stairs, a long hallway was ahead of us, many knights in the same Damascus armor were standing their ground; luckily they didn't stop us.

We stood in front of another large door – this time, Zaleo stopped us. "Hunters, beyond this door is the throne room, follow the instructions of Prince Akio, leader of the royal knights." The general nodded towards two guards, who then proceeded to open the door.

I lead the way and step into the large throne room, King Kazan was already visible – sitting on his rightful throne.

"Welcome Hunters." A man that was almost the same height as Raito greeted us.

Black armor with golden patterns and a red cape indicated his rank, this man had black hair and hazel brown eyes.

"With whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" I said politely.

"My name is Akio Yamada, the leader of the Royal Knights, please follow me." Akio gave us his back and I saw that he was carrying a Great-Sword that had a label in ancient text, upon closer inspection the label read: Prince of Yselz.

 _'Ah, so he's indeed the prince.'_ I lose myself in thoughts as we got closer to the king himself.

When we stopped walking, the knights around us started kneeing down, so we all decided to follow suit.

King Kazan lets out a chuckle before speaking. "Rise Hunters! There's no need to knee before me, for your ranks are almost equal to mine." We hesitate at first but stood up anyway.

"Please, step forward the one with the name of Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku," Kazan calls out my name and I felt a bit uneasy at first but I mustered my courage to step forward.

"That would be me, your highness," I answered.

"Ah, a maiden, I was expecting a male from such a name but gender doesn't matter..." The king laughs lightly.

I got the courage to glance at the king in order to get a better look at his appearance.  
He was wearing armor underneath his royal blue robe but other than that, he looked like a man in his early fifties and had blonde hair and sharp red eyes.

"Very well, hunters. I would like to hire you for an important task." The king speaks in a serious tone.

"May I ask what you need for us to do?" I ask politely.

"Our neighboring kingdom and the gateway to Zitrios – Xil, has fallen. Monsters have completely wiped out its residents and it's impossible for my knights to regain the territory. We have also lost all communication with the kingdom of Zitrios, ever since Xil fell." King Kazan's voice showed his concern for his allies.

"So you wish to have us, five Hunters, go out there and take out an entire armada of monsters," I question him, a bit annoyed by his logic.

I could hear the knights whispering in annoyance for my behavior, but the king silences them by raising his palm.

"I admit, this may seem unfair and impossible, but please know that I'll supply your entire squadron with Armor and Weapons of any expenses and send knights to aid you on your quest." The king says a reasonable offer but I have yet to fully agree.

"How much time do we have in order to complete this job," I question him with sharp eyes.

"Fear not, Huntress. I do not expect you to finish the task immediately, for I have decided to give you a year of time in order to accomplish it."

"That seems like enough..." I muttered.

"However, rules have been made for such a quest, the guild has demanded us to only allow Hunters that are worthy enough to lead my knights, for this reason, know that if you accept my quest, all hunters must complete our trials." The king warns me.

"Very well, I accept your request, for I am confident that my allies and I, shall succeed." I bow as I say this.

"Well said, Huntress! My knights shall summon your squad tomorrow morning, be prepared!" The king gestures towards Akio as he says this.

Akio caught our attention. "I shall escort you out of the palace, please follow me." The prince starts walking towards the exit.

We follow suit and safely got out without much of a problem.

* * *

"That was completely overwhelming!" Jenny exclaims as we sat down on some benches near the lake.

"Yea, I felt like I was being judged the entire time." Aegis sighs next to me.

Everything went back to normal after leaving the castle – and we were currently resting – I was sitting down between Aegis and Jenny, while Lucas and Raito were at a nearby bench next to ours.

"Raito and I are going to go and get some drinks, want anything specific?" Lucas offers as he stood up along with said swordmaster.

"Water please," I responded.

"Energy drink." The other two said in unison.

Lucas nodded. "Gotcha, we'll be right back then." They then left.

"Hey, Vice, I don't want to misjudge your actions, but do you really think we can pull this off?" Aegis says with a bit of doubt.

"I'm confident in all of you, I'm sure it'll be an easy task," I reassure him.

"Well if you believe in us, then there's no way we'll lose!" Jenny's fist pumps the air in order to further prove her beliefs.

"Yea, I'll believe in your judgment as well," Aegis says with a confident but light smile.

I soon lean back and close my eyes in order to rest my mind. _'These past few days have been rather eventful,'_

"Yo, Liz... Do you plan on using your best element any time soon?" Aegis' voice breaks my train of thought.

I blink a few times before speaking. "Pardon?"

"I just don't remember you ever using any other element except electricity for as long as I known you," Aegis says this in a low tone.

"Hmm, Aegis is right! I never saw you use anything but dragon or electricity... Aren't those your weakest elements?" Jenny cuts into the conversation with her observations.

I look at my weapon that is laying down near my feet before closing my eyes with a frown on my face. "Is that so?" I whispered out to myself. _'So they've finally realized?'_

"Um, Blizzy?" Aegis is getting more concern.

"I'm afraid of ice." I quickly tell them.

"Afraid?" They both say in unison.

"Yes and I wish to not speak about the matter any further," I say in a serious tone, one that they don't dare to challenge.

They both nod and remain silent.

Luckily it wasn't long before Lucas and Raito arrive with refreshments.

"Alright, so apparently we have the entire day to ourselves... You guys want to do something?" Lucas offers as he handed everyone their respective drinks.

Everyone stayed quiet for awhile, thinking of something to do, but I decide to cut in.

"Sorry to ruin any potential fun, but I believe we should train and exercise back at the villa," I state out.

"She's right..." Aegis backs me up.

"Indeed, the knights plan on testing us. We may as well prepare ourselves." Raito also agrees.

"Very well, let's head back to the villa," Lucas says this as he starts walking.

 _..._

We soon arrived at the villa and Lucas leads us into the same old training ground we used yesterday.

Everyone started doing their own thing, for example, Lucas was doing some laps around the forest, Jenny and Aegis were sparring – even Momo and Wayland got out of the villa and decided to watch us.

"Hey, Ryoku, let's do some real sparring," Raito decided to approach me.

I was fine with the idea since my injury had fully healed. "Sure,"

Raito and I stood on opposite ends of the grassy plains, this was a usual thing between us, however, this time I was using LaFalla and he was using Arashi.

"May I use my element?" He kindly asked me.

I gave him a fake smile. "Go ahead, you'll need it."

The swordmaster lets out a chuckle as he draws Arashi from his waist, the sacred blade flourishes with life as highly conducted electricity started dancing around its master.  
Raito has amazing control with electricity, to the point that he can create a makeshift shock trap with Arashi.

"Sure thing! But on one condition!" He points the tip of the blade towards me and sends a lightning bolt, I swiftly dodge it. "Don't hold back on me!"

 _'Tsk, fine...'_ I unsheath my weapon and went into my Sword &Shield form. _'I need to close the gap between us, he currently has the advantage.'_

Blizzard charges forward upon seeing an opportunity, she was confident in her speed and acrobatics when it came to these type of situations.  
However, Raito didn't hesitate in trying to stop her by swinging his blade and creating shock waves – which blocked Blizzard from advancing several times.

The distance between them was closing quickly, each time a thunderbolt was sent into the air, the Vice President would dodge them with grace and swiftness.

It didn't take long for them to finally engage with melee attacks.

Raito kept his ground by using the length of his blade to block incoming strikes, while Blizzard would parry his counter attacks with her shield.  
The two kept going for what seemed like an eternity, but neither showed signs of slowing down or faltering against each other. It was obvious how much they trained vs each other, for every movement they performed, was similar to that of one single step, in a very complex dancing performance.

Blizzard didn't keep her promise, however. She had yet to summon any type of elemental powers against Raito, who was currently using an electrical barrier to protect himself.

"Come on Ryoku! Stop holding back..!" An overhead swing was aimed straight at her head, which she blocks perfectly and tumbles away for safety.

Blizzard smiles once more. "I don't want this match to end in mere seconds."

This struck a nerve in Raito, who let out a shout and sent a powerful thunderbolt at her.

After a swift dodge, Ryoku decides to joke. "For someone who wishes to protect me, you sure don't hold back." She takes a glance at her previous position, it was marked by smoke and scorched ground.

"Why hold back against a legend." He responded with a smirk as he crouches and swings the blade, sending a shock wave towards Blizzard's legs.

Ryoku backflips out of the way and gained more distance from each other.

 _'Huh, rather interesting – it seems like Raito is actually trying to hurt me.'_ I prepared myself from any incoming attacks.

"Might I remind you that you've yet to best me a single time!" I was trying to anger him, in order to make him more predictable.

"Talk is cheap, Milady, let our weapons do the talking," Raito charges forward and engages with his swordplay.

It was hard to keep up with him due to my Charge-Blade, I wasn't used to fighting him without a longsword or my Heaven's Thunder.

After blocking a strong horizontal slash, I decided to use the momentum and distance myself once more.

"My, my, you're becoming a bit tedious, Raito." I closed my eyes and allowed my ears to located specific sounds.

Footsteps were heard for a few seconds, but they soon disappeared – which caused me to block an aerial attack – I parried the blade away from me and elbowed Raito's ribs.

"Back off and try again," I told him with a smirk as I opened my eyes.

Raito was annoyed. "I've had enough of this!" Arashi glows brightly and summoned an electro ball – which got sent flying towards me.

My eyes widen for a second before narrowing, I drop to the ground and dodged the initial explosion. _'D-darn it, I got trap in it – I wasn't expecting him to use such a tactic on me.'_

Blizzard got up on her feet and looked around herself. A large cage made out of pure elemental discharge was around her, successfully trapping the Huntress.

Raito took this as the rightful opportunity to speak. "You lied today didn't you!" As he shouted, the cage shocked its prisoner without mercy.

Blizzard, however, did not yelp or flinched from the pain, she was silent and had her eyes closed.

"YOU!? Scared of ice!? Don't make me laugh!" Raito shouted.

Blizzard's face turned into a frown as she faced towards his voice. "You do realize if you keep holding back, someone will die!"

Those words caused a strong reaction from Blizzard, she dashed and broke through the makeshift prison without a problem – dark draconic energy was flowing around her body.

 _'I wasn't expecting to actually make her angry..!'_ I braced myself by taking a defensive stance with Arashi.

"You know nothing!" She shouted as countless strikes were thrown at my vital areas. "I know more than _anyone,_ what happens when someone holds back!"

"Then why do you!" I argued back as I deadlock her with my blade.

Ryoku was showing her teeth, she was clearly angry. "SHUT UP!" Dragon element starts consuming my electricity – successfully stopping me from harming her. Our elements were currently on equal grounds and only physical attacks would determine the victor.

I was surprised and proud of what I was seeing. "The true Blizzard has awoken!" I managed to say as I barely parried a fatal blow aimed at my neck.

She ignored me and shield bashed my shoulder, I retaliated by flailing my sword at her head - she simply parried it.

Before I could reposition myself, she landed a strong kick on my left ribs; ignoring the pain, I kept fighting back against her barrage of attacks. _'H-how is she this strong?!'_

A storm was swirling in her eyes, countless sparkles of white specs could be seen in them – it was mesmerizing – it even almost caused me to lose my head. _'This woman is dangerous..!'_

All of Blizzard's attacks were precise and effective – every movement was made to counter Raito, no matter what he did, he was only falling deeper into her trap.

The longer they kept fighting, the weaker Raito grew, just like a victim being trapped inside a harsh blizzard.

 _'I won't show him mercy, even if I chop his limbs off – no, I need to stop and maintain my cool.'_ I was fighting with myself internally, as I watched my body fight against one of my dearest friends.

I knew it was wrong, but yet, I felt relief to fight with a large portion of my abilities for once.

I decided to end this before someone got severely hurt, with a flick of my wrist, I parried Arashi and slashed Raito's wrist. Dragon element managed to flow into his bloodstream and dis-synced Raito's spirit from his element, rendering his blade useless.

This allowed my draconic energy to embrace his body, shocking and burning him.

After yelling in pain, Raito fell onto his left knee as I stood in front of him with narrowed eyes. "Yield."

"... You're way stronger than I could ever imagine."

"Stop talking and yield," I tell him in a serious tone while placing my blade next to his neck.

"I yield," Raito said with a smile as if he accomplished something.

I looked directly into his eyes. "How did you hear me?" I was referring to my ice element.

"A little bird told me, and I wasn't going to allow such a lie slip by." Raito stood up as he said this.

"It's none of your business,"

"Remember my words, because if you do hold back, things will get worse."

My response came out of my mouth naturally. "I'm not holding back!"

"Ah, is that so?" Raito's eyes narrowed.

"The main reason why I avoid using my strongest elements is due to me not being able to control them properly," I was serious with what I just said.

Raito pondered for a bit. "Then I can train you,"

Shrugging my head in denial was my answer to his offer. "Not right now, we have more important things to do."

He was obviously confused. "I don't get it, you used elements before and with amazing control."

"Yes, because electricity is my second weakest attribute, fire usually harms me – so I avoid it, and Dragon is rather complex and results in me not being able to empower it beyond my control."

Raito didn't counter my statement, so I decided to turn and head to the villa. "I'm going to go and rest, for now, make sure everyone does the same soon; who knows what challenges we'll face tomorrow."

Raito watched her leave the training grounds once more, just like last night. _'Always leaving me behind,'_ The swordmaster glanced around and noticed a few watchful eyes, he decided to ignore them and headed deeper into the forest.

"Can't control ice..?" He was looking for an answer but failed to find any.

Large and heavy footsteps were heard, and after a few bushes rustling, Wayland appeared. "Ah, there you are!"

"Wayland, how can I help you." Raito smiled and greeted the man.

"I saw what happened earlier, and I must say – young Blizzard is very talented."

The great swordmaster didn't respond but nodded in agreement.

Wayland let out a loud crackle. "I have an idea! I'll pour all my energy into one single weapon for the following week, a weapon that can contain her power – we just need to get her measurements!"

"Getting a woman's size isn't easy, Wayland..." Raito said with a sigh.

"That's why I'm making you get it!"

It took Raito a few seconds to realize what he said. "Absolutely not! I've no reason whatsoever to even ask her about such things, you, on the other hand, is a blacksmith."

Wayland grabbed his chin and thought of a plan. "Did she bring that Heaven's Thunder?"

"Yes, it's her backup weapon –" Raito cuts himself off as he realizes what Wayland was thinking.

"Steal it, and break LaFalla..." They both said in unison.

* * *

A few hours later, after dusk fall – a certain room had its lights out for the night.  
The room was quiet, only the sound of soft breathing could be heard as a young maiden slept peacefully. At least, this is what seemed to be the case at first glance, Blizzard had a frown and seemed to be experiencing a dream of some sorts.

...

My eyes flutter open and revealed an open field with dark clouds looming above. "Where am I?" For some reason, my voice echoed as if I was inside a cave.

A raindrop fell on my face, followed by a few more – it was now raining lightly, but I didn't feel the urge to run and seek shelter, I felt at peace.  
The open field around me showed no signs of life, and the tall grass that went up to my knees was all I could see in every direction.

I started walking, I had no real objective in mind, but I felt like it was the right thing to do for now.

The wind started picking up with each step I took, and the rain kept pouring down.

A sudden gust of wind lifted up pieces of grass, they began dancing around the air around my field of vision.

I blinked once, and upon opening my eyes, the scenery changed. The gentle rain was no longer present, neither was the field of grass, instead, snowflakes were falling and snow covered the land.

"I feel a bit confused now," I say to no one in particular.

The gust of wind returns and causes the snowflakes to dance along with it, creating an image that I would had never expected. A faceless woman with black hair, holding two babies, was sitting on a bed with a bittersweet smile...

I could hear a distance voice. _"I love you both, I treasure both of your safety more so than my own life."_

I felt something going down my cheek, so I looked up to the sky, only to find it wasn't raining. My hands reach up to my cheek and wiped the small tear off my face.

It was now sunny, and large stone buildings were around me.

"What's going on..?" I start panicking a little, but I look back to where the odd image had formed.

It was now gone, replaced with countless people walking by me – all of them were faceless, but I knew I was in Dundorma.

 _'Maybe I can find the guild,'_ I kept walking in the same direction.

The entrance to the guild appeared after a few seconds, welcoming me to enter its territory.

To my surprise, the courtyard had a couple of children running around and playing near the fountain.

 _'I'll let Beo resolve this issue later,'_ Ignoring them, I went inside the main building.

The mess hall was dark, and only a single table could be seen at the center of the room.

A small little girl with shoulder length white hair was sitting all alone at said table – she had small wounds, cuts, and bruises with dirty clothes.

My heart beat got faster as I stared into her eyes, they were sky blue and reflected all the light that was above her. For some reason, they felt lonely, they represented someone who has given up on life itself.

As I walk over to her, the girl notices my presence – she responded by standing up and looked as if she would run away. "It's okay, I won't hurt you, sweetheart," I said with a gentle smile.

"You're lying." She says with teary eyes.

"Pardon?" I tilt my head but kept my gentle eyes locked onto hers.

"How could you say such a thing when you're the one who hurts me!" Her voice was weak, but she managed to yell.

My smile disappears as I realize how foolish I was. "I ask for forgiveness, I never meant to..."

"And I never asked you to hurt me," The younger me shouted back.

I extended my hand and offered a handshake. "How about a deal?"

She tilted her head in confusion. "What type of deal?"

"I promise to accept what has happen, and get stronger – I may not be able to protect everyone, but I'll do my absolute best, however, in exchange to this, we'll be friends."

The girl blinked, but smiled grimly – in a blink of an eye, she got taller and was now holding a bow and arrow. "You still believe in me? Even after cursing me countless times?"

"Of course," I kept my hand extended.

The teen approaches me and hands me a dark horn, one that I recognized too well. "Is that so?" She laughs at my frown.

A sigh escapes my mouth as I pocket the horn. "I've moved on, such memories won't get in my way anymore."

"How?" Myself reflection was confused.

"Because many have believed in me, and have been by my side," I said with an honest smile.

Not only was my hand reaching out to her, but four more were also there next to mine – ready to accept my younger self.

Jenny, Aegis, Raito and Lucas were standing next to me; they all had smiles on their faces, we all stood there waiting for the girl to accept us, just like I did a few years back.

She eyed us for a bit but reached out to my hand with a bit of hesitation. When my hand held onto hers, the others followed suit.

I saw how our hands spoke thousands of words, every single one was encouraging me to keep going and stay strong, and when I looked up, the girl was no longer there – only a mirror stood there, showing my smile and glittering eyes.

 _"Be strong, for good things come to those who prevail through tragedy."_ A phrase father told us before my Brother and I left Pokke.

I wasn't alone in this world, for the strong bonds I created with my allies connected us together.

My eyes close once more, but this time I felt the world around me slipping by – everything went dark and a deep slumber finally allowed me to rest.

* * *

 **AN: Sweet we finished and we're back on schedule! Also, I hope everyone liked my new structure for fight scenes, I'll be mixing it up like that from now on.**

Character introduction:

 **Yuki Yamada:**

Eye color: Crimson Red  
Hair color: Dark Purple  
Skin tone: Pale  
Height: 6'0  
Age: 19

 **Akio Yamada:**

Eye color: Hazel Brown  
Hair color: Black  
Skin tone: Pale  
Height: 6'2  
Age: 21

 **King Kazan Yamada:**

Eye color: Crimson Red  
Hair color: Blonde  
Skin tone: Light  
Height: 6'2  
Age: 53

* * *

 **Character skills! Feat. Jenny and Aegis**

 **Aegis:**

Stalwart  
Defense up M  
Razor Sharp  
Mind's Eye  
Personal Skill: Artillery Knight; gives Artillery Novice and Attack up M

 **Jenny:**

Brawn  
Latent Power  
Tremor Resistance  
Furor  
Personal Skill: Devil's Strength: Attack up L and Adrenaline+2


	4. Chapter 4: Test Of Strength

**And we're back to another chapter! This one is rather short compared to the previous ones, but I would like to think that it doesn't disappoint!**

 ** _Disclaimer_ : In no way do I own the Monster Hunter Series, all content goes to their rightful owners.**

* * *

I woke up early, possibly a few minutes after dawn. Preparations were made since today held our so called first trial. We all stayed in the living room – after eating breakfast – waiting patiently for the squadron of knights that King Kazan told us about.

Things were quiet until a very bored Deviljho spoke up.

"Man, when are they going to arrive, I'm so bored..." Jenny muttered while sitting next to me on the sofa.

"Patience Jenny," I tell her calmly as I have my eyes close. _'Truth be told, I'm a bit anxious, but I can't let that show at a moment like this.'_

As I lost myself in thoughts, the door opens, and we all turn to see who it was. Sadly, four maids walked into the room and we all sigh in disappointment, however, the maids did not leave and one of them cleared her throat.

"Hunters, we are here to take you to the desired location that King Kazan ordered." One of them said in a commanding tone.

We all look at each other for a bit - clearly confused - but decided to agree and stand up.

As we step out of the villa, the maids escorted us in the same formation the knights did back at the palace.

I walked up to Lucas. "What is going on?"

"Um, apparently the maids are knights in disguise," Lucas laughs nervously as he rubs the back of his head with a goofy smile. "Huh, maybe that's why the place never got robbed."

"Why would knights be in your household?"

Lucas thinks for a bit. "Oh, did I not tell you?" Upon seeing my confused look, he continued. "My Mother is the King's doctor, while my Father is the weapon creator for the entire Yselian military."

 _'Ah, so his parents have a very close relationship with the King himself,'_ I was both impressed and grateful. _'But now that I think about it, this seems even more staged and suspicious... Or maybe it was a coincidence that I happened to know Lucas?'_

Whether it was luck or not, I decided to not ponder on it for too long – clearing my mind and preparing myself mentally was the most important thing to do for now.

"Hey, Vice ... Are you okay?" Lucas' voice pulls me out of my trance.

"Ah, sorry, Lucas." I gave him a reassuring smile and decided to walk ahead of him – only the maids leading the way were in front of me.

After a few minutes of navigating through the nearby town, and entering a rather large street, we could already see a large stadium of some sorts up ahead.

 _'An arena? How did we not see this before.., I guess I been daydreaming too much lately.'_ I scold myself for being ignorant to my surroundings.

Upon arriving, the maids kept leading us into the building – steel clashing and people shouting could already be heard as we entered a dark hallway.

At the end of the tunnel was a bright light waiting for us. _'I'm a bit nervous, but I'm sure we'll be able to pull through,'_ And soon, we reached the inside of a large circular training ground – the sun was blazing directly down upon us.

A maid spoke up. "We have reached the destination, please enjoy your stay at our training arena." They then bow and proceeded to leave.

"What now?" Aegis spoke for everyone.

My eyes wonder, but they soon lock onto a familiar face – who was staring at me.

"Ah, Hunters!" Yuki approaches us. "Today we plan on testing your combat abilities, so we have assigned four different matches!"

 _'Four?'_ I did a quick headcount in my group, everyone was here. _'Doesn't she mean, five?'_

"As for Lady Blizzard, you'll be fighting someone very special tomorrow." Yuki cleared my confusion.

"Pardon?" I said out loud accidentally.

Yuki gave me a light shrug. "You'll see soon enough,"

Three knights walked into the arena, they all had capes – among them, I spotted Zaleo, the other two I couldn't recognize, but I could tell they were very important people.

"Allow me to introduce our Generals, second in command of their respective jobs – Inner Walls, General Zaleo." We already knew who this person was, he had dual blades equipped on his waist. "This man is my Right-hand knight."

Yuki points to another Knight, who was wearing ignot armor but had a similar style to Zaleo. "Right hand of the Outer Wall army, Saiko."

"Greetings, may we have a clean match." This man was pretty tall – maybe around 6'6 – and had a Great-Sword as his main weapon by the looks of it. He had light skin, blonde messy hair, and green eyes.

Yuki introduced the last one of the three, the one with Damascus armor and a spear. "This is Leo King, the right hand of the palace knights."

Leo was around my height, with long curly and graying black hair – tied up in a ponytail – his eyes were blue, and he was more narrow when compared to Zaleo and Saiko, but wasn't skinny when compared to me. "Hello!" Leo glanced over to Jenny, almost as if he knew her.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, I'll give you the opportunity to pick who fights who." She said the latter while looking at me.

A light sigh escapes my mouth. "Everyone group up," They all stood around me and waited for my orders. "Aegis, take on the one with the spear,"

"Are you sure? I might be better off against the greatsword guy," He says a bit uneasy.

I gave him a reassuring smile, for I was confident in one thing alone – his knowledge when it comes to using the Glaive and its range. "Don't worry,"

My eyes glance over to Lucas, who had a determined look. "Fight Zaleo, Jenny won't be able to take on a Dual-Blade user."

"Alright!"

I gesture with my hand that Jenny was next. "You'll challenge Saiko, a Hammer can easily block a Great-Sword."

Jenny smiles brightly. "Leave it to me!"

Raito realizes what was going on and decided to speak. "Wait, I'm fighting Yuki?"

"Of course, the only person you have trained with is me – naturally, that means you have most of my skills and style of fighting, something that I believe is enough to defeat her."

Raito didn't argue, I could see a faint smile on his face – maybe he was happy to hear I believed in him, either way, he was correct and I did indeed put my faith on his shoulders.

The air was tense and I could easily feel everyone being nervous, and rightfully so, Knights specialize in fighting against other humans, while Hunters specialize in fighting Monsters in the wild – they are completely different - I just knew we were stronger if we use our elements.

"Look, everyone, don't hold back – these people are who we protect, I know that - but if we fail this test; countless innocent lives will be lost." My words seemed to be enough ... Enough to pull them out of their inner-thoughts. "We're the best Guild in Dundorma and its strongest Hunters, show them what you got."

This seemed to raise their morals enough. "Yuki!" I look back and caught the Princess' attention. "We're ready."

"Good! The first knight to fight on my end will be Zaleo!"

I glance over to Lucas, who responded with a confident nod. "Right, I'll be going then." Lucas started walking to the center of the arena.

"Good luck, Lucas!" Jenny shouted as he left.

 _'Guess we'll spectate,'_ I saw a few benches nearby and headed over to them – the others soon followed me.

Lucas went up to the center and faced Zaleo, they both had confident smiles and looked ready for battle. Luckily for Lucas, he had his Sea King's Twins and Garuga armor – this would give him a significant advantage if Zaleo doesn't summon an element.

"Goodness, I wasn't expecting to fight little Lucas from the heart household – much less seeing that you became a legend by taking the role of a Hunter." Zaleo complimented the young Dual-Blade user.

"Good to see you again, Zaleo. I hope we have a fair fight." Lucas unsheathed both Blades and took an offensive stance; almost instantly, Zaleo followed suit.

In a heartbeat both of them engaged, the familiar sound of blades clashing filled the air – it was rather hard to keep track of what was going on, both blades were doing different things at once.

Blizzard and her friends could barely tell that a blade was attacking, while the other one defends and did parries – both Zaleo and Lucas were doing this strategy and the battle was at a complete stall due to this.

Lucas was the first one to realize this and a plan was already brewing in his head. _'Maybe if I use my water element.., Vice did say we shouldn't hold back – but what if I hurt this man?'_ The inner conflict that Lucas was having was enough to put him at a disadvantage.

"Gotcha!" A direct blow struck Lucas' shoulder, however, Lucas countered by stabbing Zaleo's leg.

They both back off and checked their wounds. "Sorry, but I learned a thing or two from my leader." Lucas was referring to the time he was bested by Blizzard.

"What a brave man you're... Taking such a hit in order to limit my mobility."

 _'Alright, Lucas, don't hold back!'_ He thought to himself.

Everyone at the benches was at the edge of their seats, everyone but one person in the shadows.

"What an interesting way to fight..." The man with a spear muttered to himself. "And he said that his leader taught him such ways?" Narrowed eyes stared at the platinum-haired maiden, who was currently distracted by the fight. "What an interesting creature she is."

Lucas dashed in, weaving left and right with short demon-dashes – there was a red aura radiating from his body.

"Not so fast!" Zaleo countered the Demonization with his Arch-Demon. The attacks were more fierce, and the collisions gave off a deadly sound each time a blade connected with another.

As the battle kept going, the air became foggy – Lucas' weapons were starting to glow and each time he slashed at the air; the sound of ocean waves could be heard.  
Zaleo grew wary of his surroundings and decided to stay on the defensive side, it didn't take long for Lucas to manifest blades of water; successfully extending his range each time he attacked.

A smile appeared on Blizzard's face. _'Good, Lucas won't hold back at all by the looks of it.'_

Even if Zaleo performed a block, the water would split and keep going in its original trajectory; they would then cut Zaleo bit by bit.

"You can't block my element! Not unless you have one as well!" Lucas shouted between attacks, his confidence was growing and so did his strength. "Now! I'll show you a true Arch-Demon!"

After a backflip, Lucas swung the blades downwards and a powerful purple aura danced around his body – Lucas had successfully entered his fully charged up Arch-Demon mode.

 _'We'll see if he can handle this attack!'_ Lucas jumped slightly and performed two spins, each one summoning a dangerous elemental blade that got sent towards Zaleo.

Zaleo did the correct thing, and jumped out of the way – but his injured leg caused him to stumble.

"You're finished!" Lucas shouted while doing a forward spin – The Sea King's Twins followed his commands and sent horizontal water blades towards the General.

Zaleo was done for, however, before the razor sharp elemental blades reached him – they evaporated into thin air.

"You've lost," Lucas said with a smile.

General Zaleo was shocked at first but then looked at Lucas with respect. "I wasn't even given the chance to yield... Truly impressive."

They bowed to each other and left to their respective parties. Blizzard was the first to welcome him back.

"Good job, Lucas," I said as he sat next to me.

"Thanks, but I need to get this fix-up." Lucas was referring to his shoulder – which got stabbed earlier into the fight.

"I'll help." Aegis quickly offered.

The sound of a horn interrupted us. "Next knight will be Saiko!" Yuki's voice was heard.

"Jenny, do your best," I tell the blonde as she got up.

I just realized she was carrying a white dagger, not just her hammer. "Oh, don't worry, I'm giving them hell for thinking Hammers are a bad weapon!" And with that, our Deviljho charged in.

Before I had the chance to watch the fight, a voice whispered my name. "Blizzard, may I have a word with you?"

I turn and see that it was Prince Akio. "Sure..?" I got up and followed him into the hallway.

Once we were alone, Akio started speaking. "Your allies are truly talented,"

"Yes, I know that."

"Of course you do, but the reason I called you here was to warn you about our match," Akio said with an unnerving smile.

I raised an eyebrow. "Ah, so you're the so-called 'special' fight Yuki told me about."

"Correct! And it'll be here, tomorrow morning – same time as today."

 _'Fine by me, the sooner we get this over with, the faster we can save Xil.'_ I was about to leave till Akio caught my attention once more.

"However, the rules will be different from what you're currently seeing," Akio proceeded to explain upon seeing my reaction. "It'll be a best out of three, and there will be a public audience – consisted of knights."

"Is that all?" This didn't surprise me.

Akio, however, let out a chuckle. "No.., Killing one another is allowed."

 _'What!?'_ My expression on the outside was emotionless. "Explain yourself."

"If one does not yield, the other one is allowed to kill them – it'll then be called an accidental death."

 _'What type of nonsense is this?'_ At first, I didn't understand – but after a few seconds, I knew what type of trap this was. "Wait... If I murder a prince -" I ate my words.

Akio laughed. "Ah, so you're indeed a smart one! And here I thought Hunters were nothing more but barbarians." Akio turned and started walking. "May the gods watch our fight, Blizzard!"

I clenched my fist. "Treating me like a fool... The only one who benefits from this rule set is him! I hate cowards like him!" I stomp the ground once.

"Ryoku?" I heard Raito's voice in the distance.

 _'Can't let them worry – not when their fights are around the corner.'_ I turned and went back to the arena.

"Sorry, a messenger told me what time my match will be," I told them as I sat back down in my original seat.

"Ah I see, I was about to go looking for you – Jenny won." Raito points – I followed his finger, and he was right, Jenny was helping the man stand up.

"Great, too bad I missed it – how was she?"

Aegis responded to this. "Hit hard, smash their heads in – and if possible, break their legs," Aegis told me the Jenny ways.

I giggled slightly. "At least she won," Jenny was already on her way back. "Good job!" I welcomed her.

"Thank you!" Jenny had a few bruises and a cut on her left cheek, but other than that, she was completely unharmed.

"I believe it's my turn," Aegis got up and picked up his Gun Lance.

As if on cue, the next fighter was announced. "Leo is next!"

We gave him the best of wishes and watched as he headed towards the center.

 _'This Leo guy and that two handed spear is going to give me trouble – I wonder why Liz put me up against this guy, maybe because I can blast him?'_ Aegis observed his opponent – who had a confident smile. _'He's also the second in command of the palace knights, so without a doubt, this guy will be a challenge.'_

"I hope we have a great fight, sir..."

"It's Aegis. You can skip the sir title."

Leo nodded. "Very well, Aegis, best of lucks." Leo King held his spear with both hands – tip aimed at his opponent.

Aegis unsheaths his Eine Wahrheit and stood in a defensive position. _'I won't approach, that range is very similar to that of a Glaive, so I can use it to my advantage – I just need to wait for the right opportunity.'_

While Aegis was calculating, Leo was observing his positioning; from head to toe.

The start of the fight didn't come until a couple of seconds later, the audience could tell that these two fighters prefer to plan things out before a battle and then fight at full force.

All of a sudden; Leo charges in and the battle starts.

Even if Leo had a bit more range, Aegis was still able to close the gaps every time he shielded any incoming attacks.

 _'Next time I shield something, I'm blasting the living hell out of this man!'_ A shield parry was performed and Aegis pulled the trigger – Leo dodged out of the way and swung the spear wide.

Aegis ducked under the blade and dashed forward with shield at the front. "As if I'll let you escape!"

Leo dodged the initial stab, however, the explosion that came after made him lose his balance.

 _'Gotcha!'_ Without thinking, Aegis summoned his fire element and shot forward a fireball by using his gun-lance's cannon - allowing him to use elements instead of ammo.

Leo's eyes locked onto the incoming attack. "Tedious fool," With a swipe of his lance, the fireball disappeared.

The audience was surprised upon seeing this.

Blizzard's eyes widen slightly. "The element disappeared..?"

"No, such energy doesn't just disappear out of thin air," Raito quickly responded. "Leo somehow absorbed it."

Aegis was also shocked but had little time to think – so he decided to send out another fire attack.

Leo did the same as before, and the flames disappeared with ease. "Stop messing around, aren't you suppose to be your leader's right hand? Such a waste of space."

Aegis grit his teeth upon hearing this. "I'm going to seriously hurt you."

"Try me!" Leo swung his spear, but this time – a shock wave of flames was sent towards Aegis, who thankfully shielded in time.

 _'What!? Did he just... Shit, he absorbed my element and used it against me.'_ Aegis was now aware of his trick, causing him to fight with caution.

"As you can see, I was trained to nullify elements and toss them right back." Leo King smirked.

Aegis knew what he was up against after hearing that. _'He's using the Dragon-element, but at a weaker scale, however, that doesn't explain why he used my own fire against me.'_

"Aegis! Focus!"

Blizzard's shouts caused Aegis to flinch, it was enough to make him realize what to do.

"Whatever, I'll just fight my own power then, we'll see if you can handle it!" Aegis continued to summon flaming orbs as he charged forward and attempted to stab Leo.

Leo barely kept up with dodging, parrying, and absorbing the fire. "Get off!" As Leo shouted, his weapon started glowing – blue flames began hovering around the Knight and was now defending him from Aegis' elemental attacks.

 _'I need to keep this up! Even if he absorbs my power, there has to be a limit to it!'_ Aegis kept increasing the power of his fire attacks, he would constantly reload and shoot at rapid speed.

Leo kept dodging to the left, and did a counter attack each time he moved; Aegis continued to block these strikes and attempted to keep blasting him.

"... This is bad, Aegis doesn't realize that he can win easily now." Blizzard muttered from her seat.

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Aye, Leo thinks he'll never learn – so he fell into an obvious pattern."

"Have faith... Just give him time." Blizzard knew that Aegis was a very intelligent person, but would usually get lost in the heat of the battle at times.

The fight was indeed in a complete stall at the very moment, Aegis wasn't slowing down and neither was Leo King.

 _'Alright, I just need to swing left as fast as possible after he dodges – but how.., wait -!?'_ Aegis let out a yelp of pain as he felt the spear stab his left leg.

Leo backed away before Aegis could retaliate. "I recommend that you stop daydreaming."

"Oh, shut it already!" Aegis charged forward, this time, the Gun-Lance user had the perfect plan.

The two exchanged blows a couple of times – spear against shield, lance missing and hitting the air – Aegis was fully aware of his speed being the greatest weakness here.

 _'Once he dodges to the left and holds the spear with one hand, he won't be able to block my surprise attack.'_ Aegis was focusing on Leo's patterns now.

This did not go unseen by the audience. "It seems like Aegis figured it out," Blizzard spoke with uncertainty.

After a swift dodge from Leo King, Aegis' plan came to life. "Gotcha!" He blocked the counter with his shield and positioned his Lance behind him – upon pulling the trigger, the force sent the weapon right back at Leo's ribs.

The force was so great, that Leo was sent flying a couple of feet – landing on the ground with zero signs of getting back up, however, this didn't come without consequences.

 _'D-darn it, I can't move my arm,'_ Aegis had dislocated his shoulder due to the awkward angle he used.

Blizzard noticed this upon seeing Aegis' Gun-Lance drop to the ground shortly after Leo lost. "Aegis!" She dashed towards the young man.

"Are you okay?" I carefully examine his arm once I was next to him.

"Y-yea, just pick up my weapon, please." He started walking to the benches while holding his elbow in place – close to his chest.

Following his orders and grabbing his lance, I proceeded to start walking back to my friends, who were busy healing each other.

"Raito you're up," I told him as I noticed that Yuki was walking to the center of the arena.

The swordmaster stood up, his eyes were narrowed and I could see his hands clenching Arashi tightly – if it was due to anger or being nervous, I couldn't tell – his eyes gave an unclear expression.

He left without a word, but his expression told me countless phrases he usually says. _"Don't worry. Leave to me. I won't disappoint."_ These memories flashed in my head, an entire year as a Huntress is very long – and this man was by my side the entire time.

As Raito approached the center, Yuki smiled and greeted him with a short bow. "Greetings, you must be Raito."

"How do you know my name?"

"My Father has told me many things about both you and Blizzard."

I stood there in silence, after a few seconds; it was time to unsheath Arashi.

"Ah, eager to fight aren't we." Yuki giggled as she prepared her Sword&Shield.

 _'The only person I have ever fought is Blizzard, however, she entrusted me with this battle – her beliefs are mine to keep and follow!'_ Electricity was summoned upon hearing my emotions. _'I won't show any mercy.'_

A single dash was enough to close the gap between us, after my first strike; Yuki went into action by dodging and slashing at my neck without a second thought.

I managed to block it with the length of my blade and kept attacking her, this didn't stop her from continuing to use her shield – forcing me to use my element in order to try and throw her off.

"Not so fast!" As Yuki shouted – mist appeared – ice shards formed, forcing me to leap away and retreat for now.

 _'Right, Royals have the ability to use real elements just like Hunters... However, her element is pretty darn pathetic when compared to Ryoku's power.'_ I let myself smile as I finally saw the reasoning behind Blizzard's plan.

 _'All that training we did together, not only did it make her stronger – but it also empowered me at the same time.'_ Focusing my energy, lightning bolts started dancing in the air.

Yuki was surprised upon seeing her ice shards exploding when making contact with Raito's elemental strength. They were now exchanging blows once more, Yuki was at a complete disadvantage as her element was being consumed rapidly by Arashi's power.

The fight was completely one-sided, and the audience knew this – especially Akio who was still observing from a balcony. "This man, he's much weaker than Blizzard... Or at least, that's what I was told."

Footsteps brought Akio out of his trance. "Prince Akio." They belonged to Leo, who was now approaching him.

"Ah, Leo King, you did a wonderful job!"

"Nonsense, you're too kind – for I lost due to underestimating my opponent."

Akio shook his head and reassured him. "The knowledge we have gained will help us a lot more than you think."

"Are you really worried about that Huntress?" Leo was referring to Blizzard.

Akio nodded as he stared out the small window from the observatory balcony they were on. "Yes, her records are something you shouldn't laugh about."

Leo raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Is that so?"

Akio's eyes locked onto Blizzard – who was observing the fight. "Aye, see that man fighting my sister? He is no Hunter, yet his strength comes from just being near her for a year."

Leo was surprised upon hearing this. "They say that two people share their strength's and weaknesses after spending time together for awhile – but can it truly scale to such levels?" The spear master said.

"Depends on the person who is dividing their strength – if Raito is but a portion of her power, then I can't afford to take any chances." Akio was now observing the battle once more.

It was still one sided.

Raito kept dashing in out of Yuki's range, all while blocking and striking at the same time – this style of battle was pretty unique to him, mostly due to using specific blade angles to block any type of physical attacks while still attacking.

"It's over!" With a shout, Raito trapped Yuki in an electrical trap – he then proceeded to shock her.

Princess Yuki did her best to protect herself with ice shards, but they simply got destroyed each time they attempted to block the incoming shockwaves. Once the cage of elemental discharge disappeared, Yuki fell onto her knees.

The victor was decided – and so, the hunters passed their first test of might.

"I'm t-truly impressed," Yuki muttered as she got back up slowly, Zaleo was already there trying to help her.

Raito let out a sigh. "If you can't even defeat me, then don't even try challenging Blizzard." And with that, Raito turned and headed over to his allies.

"Good job out there," Blizzard said with a proud smile.

The others nodded in agreement – even if everyone was now sporting emergency bandages, especially Aegis; who was wearing a makeshift arm sling.

"Thank you, everyone," Raito smiled while scratching the back of his head.

Blizzy decided it was time to leave, so she told everyone to pack; as they left the stadium, she could feel someone staring at her from a distance, she knew it was Akio – warning her once more about tomorrow's fight.

* * *

Once we reached the villa, everyone decided it was time to rest up for now – except for me. My fight with Akio tomorrow has put me on edge, causing me to train outside alone with my Charge-Blade.

Different scenarios that could happen tomorrow was constantly filling up my mind. _'The arena itself will give me trouble, I can't use the environment to my advantage, it's just dirt and sand everywhere.'_

I place my sword flat on my shield and caused friction between the two – this charged my blade before I attacked three times in just a second or two. _'I know I'm going to lose the first round, however, I also need to survive said first round.'_ I round-slash, and switched to my axe-mode, upon slamming my weapon down to the ground; my element was summoned, a pillar of draconic energy appeared before me.

A sigh escaped Blizzard's mouth as she took a small break, however, little did she know that her room was being invaded at this very moment.

Raito had jump over to her window and entered the room. "Hmm, now where did she leave her longsword..?" His eyes searched the place, but he was instead greeted by Momo.

"What is Raito doing in Meowster room?" She told him with curious eyes.

"Ah, Momo! Just the little felyne I was looking for, have you seen Blizzard's weapon?"

"Raito must be stupid for thinking that Momo would betray her Meowster." The small palico crossed her arms.

A vein appeared on Raito's forehead. "Look here, Momo. I'm trying to help her, she needs a stronger weapon – but we need her Heaven's Thunder for the measurements."

Momo pondered for a bit, but she then gave in. "It's in the last drawer, and please only open that one, nya!"

The swordmaster nodded and walked over to said drawer – the blade was indeed inside. "Good, now we can get her a proper weapon." And with that, Raito left the room and headed over to Wayland's room.

He knocked twice. "It's me, Raito."

The door opened, revealing a large blacksmith. "Great job!" Wayland let out a chuckle.

"Not so loud!" Raito made way into his room with the stolen blade. "Now what, you don't have a workplace – or do you?"

"I asked Lucas' father, he's luckily an inventor himself and has a workplace nearby – I'll be heading over there tomorrow in the afternoon." Wayland handed over a blanket, allowing Raito to wrap the weapon up.

"Okay, just keep this thing hidden – she might notice it missing and will come looking for it." Raito then left the room without another word.

Wayland, however, was thinking about what to make exactly. _'Hmm, I need to see how Ryoku fights a few more times, just to make sure.'  
_

 _..._

It was now dusk fall and Blizzard had returned to her dorm, she was already prepared for bed.

"Hmm, now what should I use tomorrow... Maybe my Longsword? I'm more comfortable with it, and I'll have a higher chance of winning." I went over to my drawer and open up the one that contained my Heaven's Thunder.

My eyes widen as I saw the empty space. "Wait, did I not bring it? No, I could had sworn I did, maybe I misplaced it." I got up and started searching around.

... There was nothing, I couldn't find it anywhere. My heart sunk and I was starting to feel stressed out. "Ugh, how stupid do I have to be in order to forget my weapon."

"Meowster?" I heard Momo's voice.

"Ah, Momo, sorry to wake you – but have you seen my weapon?"

The small felyne didn't look at me, but she shook in response. "No, Meowster."

"I see, well thank you anyways, it's my own fault for forgetting it. I'm such a careless person..." I was honestly annoyed at myself, however, now wasn't the time to dwell on it; I needed sleep.

* * *

The morning of the next day was a busy one – Blizzard had revealed the fact to her friends that today she would be fighting against Akio. She, however, didn't warn them about the rules he had established.

After breakfast, the same group of maids summoned them; taking them back to the arena, where the battle would take place.

The stadium was roaring with energy, countless cheers and shouts could be heard from the outside.

 _'There's the audience Akio was talking about'_ Blizzard thought to herself as they enter the building.

However, the maids stop everyone but Blizzy from entering the arena. "Hunters, we shall take you to a private spectator area, as for Lady Ishi'Ryoku; you must keep going forward."

They all seemed skeptical to leave Ryoku, but she reassured them with a smile. "Follow their orders, don't worry about it."

Her friends looked at her, their eyes wishing their leader good fortune.

 _'Alright, time to leave,'_ Blizzard kept moving forward down the hallway, she could already see light up ahead.

The cheering became louder as I step into the field. _'There's Akio.'_ I spot the Prince standing at the center.

As I near him, he greets me with a knowing smile. "Ah, you've finally arrived."

While tieing my hair into a ponytail; I responded. "Of course, now we can get this over with."

"So eager to fight! Just how I like it," Akio chuckled as he unsheathed his Great-Sword.

The blade was entirely black – as if made out of coal – but I could tell that the material was smooth and sharp. The silver markings that label his status as a prince shined brightly due to the sunlight.

 _'Yuki was able to summon ice, so Akio must be able to summon some other element,'_ I unsheathed LaFalla and stayed in Sword&Shield mode.

"Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku, I challenge you, here in Yselian soils; to a fight between two leaders!" The crowd responded with cheers as Akio said this.

 _'Stop trying to put up a show,'_ Annoyance was definitely something that was brewing inside me.

"Now! You may have the first strike!" Akio smiles as he stood there confidently.

A small sigh escapes my lips as I dashed forward at great speeds, I weave to the left and dodged his initial strike – a backflip was enough to avoid his desperate attack to throw me off. I dash forward once more while his blade was down, a direct horizontal strike on his chest was enough for now; retreating was my next goal.

"Interesting..." Akio said as he looks down at his chest region, a red line where I had slightly cut him was visible; LaFalla was strong enough to cut through his armor.

"Prince Akio, please don't hold back, or this match will end very soon," I told him as I prepared to leap forward again.

"If that's what you desire," Akio planted his blade into the ground – smoke was visible – fire engulfs the Great-Sword with immense power. "I shall never hold back against you!"

 _'F-Fire!? I'm at a huge disadvantage now!'_ I summon my dragon-element, it was weaker than my electrical strength, but its the only thing I had when it came to protecting myself against his fire.

Akio was now on the offensive – every strike he performed summoned a razor blade of flames, my draconic shield ate the fire before it could connect; even if it was only by mere split seconds before hitting me.

As I tumble away from the man in order to gain distance, Akio placed the blade on the ground and went for a Ground-Slash. Not only did I have to dodge the blade, but also an eruption of fire – the field was now covered in a dark cloud of smoke.

 _'D-Darn it, I feel rather weak,'_ My element was dancing around me, still protecting my body against any potential threats.  
A sudden shift of air alerted me to Akio's presence, allowing me to block his blade just in time with my shield. The force was strong enough to drag my feet backwards; it also managed to numb my arm slightly.

 _'This is bad, Akio has way more raw strength than me – I can't afford to block or parry his attacks, but neither can I dodge forever.'_ Reflexes kick in as I spot a silhouette in the cloud of smoke, I steel myself as Akio came running towards me.

I switch into Axe form before his blade connected with my shield – the charged up blade caused an explosion after my successful block – Akio was thrown off balance and I swung my axe in a circular motion.

The Prince managed to redirect my blow as he retreated; LaFalla got stuck on the ground, so I planted my foot on the shield like a shovel and pulled out the blade forcefully.

 _'I can't spend any energy on using a shield, I'm sorry Wayland – but LaFalla might break today.'_ Charging in with just my sword was my only option.

The crowd was going wild upon seeing such adaptability coming from both fighters, however, our group of Hunters were on the edge of their seats.

"This fight is getting worse by the second!" Aegis yelled as he stood up in order to get a better view.

Raito nodded in agreement, but he knew something that the others didn't. _'She wants to use a Longsword against Akio, and yet Wayland and I took that away from her; this is all my fault! Not only that, but she told me herself that fire harms her greatly,'_ Concern was evident in his eyes.

"Hmm..." Wayland was the only one who was quiet – he was observing the fight and took notes of any small detail he could see.

Jenny got Raito's attention by tugging his coat lightly. "Didn't Liz use her surroundings to her advantage?"

The swordmaster's eyes widen. "Curses... This arena gives her zero advantages for such things, and Ryoku doesn't know how to fight very well with a Charge-Blade."

"Well, she ditched the Axe – so it's just a sword now." Lucas interrupted.

Blizzard was managing to keep her ground for now; Akio was having a bit of trouble keeping up with her swordplay.

As Blizzard fought the prince of Yselz, she noticed something about his movement. _'He never repeats himself, I'm not learning any patterns that I can use to my advantage.'_

A gasp escapes my mouth as I blocked the incoming attack. _'I can't keep this going, the blade isn't absorbing the shockwaves like a normal blade would – my arm feels like I been hitting a wall!'_

Not using my shield was now backfiring, but it did allow me to keep up and even put Akio on edge for now.

"Truly a worthy opponent!" Akio shouted as he blocked one of my attacks. "But you're still weak!"

I did my best when it came to dodging, however, this time; Akio landed a strong kick on my knee. I yelped in pain as I felt my bone being crushed. "Get off!" I retaliate by summoning a dark energy blade.

Akio countered with a flaming sword – the results was a powerful friction – the explosion sent us both flying a few feet back from each other, my knee gave away and I landed on the ground rather roughly.

My body didn't respond, I couldn't stand up. _'K-Keep fighting, just a bit longer..!'_ As I was struggling to get up, Akio was already walking slowly to me.

"Good grief, that explosion drained a lot out of me – too bad this fight is over." The prince's shadow was now looming over Blizzard.

 _'G-Get up damn it!'_ Ryoku was forcing her body to get up, but the strong elemental discharge from her own dragon element was preventing this.

"Remember our agreement? I recommend you start surrendering, I won't hesitate to kill you." Akio was now two steps away from her.

As Akio stood over Blizzard and was about to pierce her through the chest, Ryoku managed to roll to the side. _'C-Can't ... Move anymore.'_ She had given up at this point.

"Ah, you're an astonishing person – even when it's futile, you struggle." Akio lifts up the blade once more.

 _"I promise I would be by your side."_ A recent memory of the promise she made with Jenny filled her mind.  
 _  
"Don't worry, I won't die and I'll make sure you don't have to protect me."_ Another promise she made with Raito flashed by.  
 _  
"Whatever happens, promise me you'll stay strong."_ The promise she made with her Brother opened her eyes.

All of this was enough for her to muster one final gambit - Blizzard allowed Akio to stab her in the stomach region.

The entire stadium went quiet until a scream of desperation was heard. "Jenny, calm down!" Raito attempted to calm the Hammer user but to no avail. Truth be told, Raito was also screaming internally and wanted to jump off the balcony, just to cut Akio down.

"That bastard!" Aegis was about to leap into the arena, but Lucas tackles him.

"Wait! Look!" Lucas told them to observe closer.

Akio was struggling to stab the blade any deeper – Blizzard's body was frozen at the zone she was attacked, the ice was slowly creeping up Akio's Great-sword.

"H-How!?" The Prince of Yselz was confused upon seeing this.

 _'The Dragon element is no match for my ice powers, I just need to get up and strike back!'_ Akio managed to pull his blade out of the ice prison before Blizzard got up.

She dashed forward and ignored any type of pain and fatigued – her willpower was completely belying her weaken state.

Both fighters were now engaged in a heated battle, sparks were flying into the air around them as fire and draconic energy bounced off each other. Akio was growing impatient, and Blizzard growing weaker by the minute.

"I've had enough of this childish fight!" As the Great-Sword user shouted; his blade ignited in a blue flare.

"As if I'll let you take me down!" Blizzard summoned a mixture of ice and dragon – this was enough to cool down the flames and eat away any type of elemental danger.

The field was completely unstable at this point, miniature explosions – the size of flugerbugs – were constantly filling up the spaces between both fighters, forcing them to weave and dodge every time.  
They both entered a deadlock and stared into each other's eyes; Blizzard was angry and was showing her fangs as she grits her teeth tightly, Akio was wearing a frown and a face of intense concentration.

As the ice shards flew off of her blade and scraped Akio, Blizzard was also getting severely injured by them as well – for her control over them was minimum.

"Give up Huntress!"

"N-Not until I make sure... You're injured!" She side steps and allowed Akio's blade to fall and slice her left shoulder, Blizzard proceeded to strike Akio's ribs.

The prince grunted in pain – he quickly punched her in the stomach, causing her to bend forward. Akio followed up by kneeing her chin with enough force to flip her backwards, Blizzard performed a handstand and kicked his head in retaliation. These fluid movements allowed her to flip herself back onto her feet and dash forward, impaling her blade into his shoulder.

"Get off!" Akio headbutted Blizzard's forehead.

They both stumble back from the collision, but even when seeing stars, they kept fighting

 _'I can't block anymore, my left shoulder is bleeding profusely,'_ The vice president of Dundorma's guild was reaching her limit.

Even Akio knew that he wouldn't last long. _'I can feel blood tickling down my chest, shoulder, and forehead – I need to end this, now!'_ The prince was getting ready to end this match once and for all.

The final steps were now in motion, Blizzard got too close for Akio's striking range – allowing her to stab his thigh, however, Prince Akio countered by punching her stomach region; air left Ryoku's lungs forcefully.

"Block this you fool!" Akio swung his blade wide; his body was engulfed in a golden aura as he did so, Akio jumped backwards and was ready to strike her down.

 _'I can't move..!'_ Blizzy mustered her strength and blocked the incoming horizontal slash.

"Lion's Maw!"

The sound of a blade breaking was the only indication of Blizzard's demise as she fell to the ground sideways...

"LIZ!" Jenny yelled once more as she saw her fall.

Raito ran up and leaped off the balcony. _'As if I'll let him finish her off!'_ He saw Akio raising his blade.

"I'm going as well!" Aegis followed closely behind.

Lucas let out a sigh as he comforts Jenny, who was panicking. "I thought this was a sparring match, not a damn death match..." His words didn't help the situation, for it reached Jenny's ears, causing her to have unpleasant memories.

"Hey, you bastard!" Raito unsheathed Arashi and blocked Akio's strike. "Can't you see she's out cold!"

"How dare you interrupt this duel!" Akio responded as he glared at Raito.

"The match was over once she fell!" Aegis responded as he got near them.

Akio was unpleased by this. "The rules were simple, yield or die."

This angered Raito greatly, who dashed in to strike the prince. "Wait..!" A weak voice stopped them from fighting any further.

"I yield.., s-stop fighting," Blizzard muttered weakly in Aegis' arms. "Please, just stop..." She fainted soon after those words escaped her mouth.

Raito glared at Akio. "..." No words were spoken between the two, but hatred was evident in their eyes.

"Raito, we need to get her medical attention!" Aegis ignored his wounded arm and carried her anyways.

The swordmaster kept his glare for a bit longer; before finally dashing after the two.

* * *

When my eyes opened up, I could only see darkness. _'W-What happened?'_ As I laid there, I did my best to remember why I was back in my room.

 _'Ah, I lost against Akio...'_ Memories of my weapon breaking, and the amount of pain I was suffering fills my mind. My heart beat was raising, this emotion I was feeling was nothing but fear.

I wasn't scared of losing my life, it was fear of losing against the man yet again and this journey would have been for nothing. Luckily, my eyes adjusted to the darkness and allowed me to see the bandages that covered various parts of my body.

My perspective of time was out of whack; I had no clue how much time has passed since my fight with Akio, I did notice that I wasn't feeling much pain – just minor discomfort.

 _'Maybe I can find someone,'_ I decided it was best to get out of bed slowly and head into the living room down below, after putting on some clothing; especially since I was basically wearing bandages and underwear when I woke up.

The hallway was quiet like always, however, once I reached the staircases; I could already hear voices up ahead.

 _'Ah, everyone is here,'_ As I arrive the doorway leading to the living room, I could see my friends chatting. "Good evening,"

They all went quiet and turned to look at me, shock and relief washed over their faces.

"What time is it? I have no idea how long I've been out cold." I told them timidly.

Jenny got up and sped-walked over to me, she looked at me with teary eyes before embracing me in a gentle hug. "Jenny?" I stood there a bit confused.

"You've been bedridden for almost two days now," I heard Rose's voice from behind me, she soon entered the room.

"Two days?"

Raito was the next one to speak. "Yes, yesterday was your battle with Akio, and today has already passed – as you can see," He pointed at the window, remarking that it was night time.

"I'm sorry that I worried everyone," I told them sincerely as I looked down at the blonde who was still hugging me, I couldn't see her face; it was buried in my chest. "However, I'll win next time – I'm sure of that."

They stayed quiet for a bit – until Aegis spoke up. "Yea, the fight was really close – Akio has also been recovering ever since that battle ended; both of you were in critical conditions, due to blood lost."

"Did he say when the next round is?" I asked them.

Lucas raised his hand in order to get my attention. "After tomorrow, so make sure to rest well – I'm sure your wounds are almost fully healed up anyways."

I nodded. _'That's true, I just feel slight discomfort when I move – so I should take it easy tomorrow.'_

"How about we all eat some dinner!" A small Felyne yelled as she entered the room with Wayland.

Momo hugged my leg once she got close enough. "Hey there, Momo." I greeted her with a smile.

"Haha! This felyne right here is a fantastic worker, Momo been helping me at the workshop ever since Richard lent me one!" Wayland's voice was as loud as ever.

"Nya! I want to help Meowster too!"

"Help me?" I tilted my head.

Raito did a fake cough. "Well you see, remember your Heaven's Thunder?" He had a goofy smile while saying this and refused to look at me in the eyes.

"Yes, I left it back at Dundorma, or rather, I forgot it," I told them.

Raito shook his head. "No, I stole it and gave it to Wayland."

It took me a few seconds to process what he just said. "You did what?"

"Don't worry young Blizzard, we're using it in order to create your rightful weapon!" Wayland defended.

"There's just one issue with this!" I raised my voice a bit. "I don't have a weapon for my next match."

LaFalla broke during battle – and I'm pretty sure I rather not use a Charge-Blade against Akio ever again.

"This is why you'll be using Arashi," Raito smiled.

"Pardon!?" I was seriously taken back by this.

Raito nodded and reassured me. "You can use electricity pretty well, so how about I give you some pointers tomorrow so you can then use it during battle – You need a sturdy weapon, you saw how LaFalla was no much against his power."

Raito backed up his argument rather well, it was now all on me – either I chose to be lazy and not learn how to use Arashi in one day, or risked our entire journey by using a regular shortsword.

"Are you sure? Only the Arashi family can use it, that blade is a sacred weapon." I reminded him.

A smile appeared on his face. "Yes, and the current Arashi – master and owner of said blade – can say who uses it and why."

"Hey! He's not the only one helping out!" Aegis got up and gave me a thumbs up. "Lucas and I have been brewing up some potions for your upcoming battle."

Jenny finally released me. "And I've been healing your wounds, cleaning them, and patching them this entire time." She said with a bright smile.

 _'Right... I'm not alone, I have them by my side.'_ I took a moment to look at them, giving them a silent thank you. "You're all crazy for following my orders all this time,"

They all laughed cheerfully.

A stomach growling was heard, coming from a certain feylne. "Nya! Let's go eat!" Momo reminded us once more.

We all agreed and went into the dining room – Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and it was already on the horizon.

* * *

 **AN:** Man, this chapter was just filled with fight scenes, so I hope it didn't get boring halfway through :P

Anyways, only two new characters were seen for this chapter.

 **Saiko:**

Eye color: Green

Hair color: Blonde

Skin tone: Light

Height: 6'6

Age: 24

 **Leo King:**

Eye color: Blue

Hair color: Graying black

Skin tone: Tannish

Height: 6'0

Age: 22

* * *

 **Now into the Character skills! Raito and Lucas are up next.**

 **Raito:**

Honed Blade

Defense up S

Critical Eye +1

Evasion +1

Personal Skill: _Fulmination:_ ThunderAtk +3, ThunderRes +20

 **Lucas:**

Acrobat

Tremor Res

Evade Extender

Razor Sharp

Personal Skill: _Heartbound:_ Peak Performance, Critical eye +3


	5. Chapter 5: Gelidus Ballet

**AN: The chapter is a bit late, but I would like to blame the holidays xP Anyways, let's just get straight into the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: In no way do I claim the series as my own, all content goes to their rightful owners!**

* * *

I woke up to the sound of knocking, followed by someone calling out my name. "Liz, open up!" The voice was easily recognizable as Jenny's.

"Hang on." I let out a small yawn as I walk to the door.

And sure enough, Jenny was on the other side upon opening it – she had a tray of food with her.

"Good morning; I brought you breakfast," Jenny said happily.

"You really shouldn't have bothered."

"Nonsense, you need all the help in the world, so let us help you!" Jenny was quick to shrug my modesty away. "Now hurry up and eat, Raito is training you in a couple of hours."

"If you insist," I accept the tray of food and went over to the table. "Is there a way that I can repay you?"

"Yup!" But she went quiet and just took a seat across from me after I sat down.

After a few seconds of waiting for Jenny to continue, I let out a cough. "How..?"

"Survive, fight with everything you got, and kick his ass." Jenny was referring to Akio.

Even if I already knew this, I couldn't help but smile upon hearing said words from her. "Of course,"

"So, since it's a bit after dawn; we can do something together while we wait for Raito!" Jenny offered as I ate.

I gave Jenny a simple nod and also offered her some food – which she gladly accepted.

After the small breakfast we had at my room, Jenny and I decided to head outside and just enjoy the cloudy sky in an open grassy field.  
It was a couple of minutes later – of pure silence – when Jenny decided to speak up.

"Not going to lie, but staring at these clouds is making me sleepy." To further prove her point, she lets out an audible yawn.

"Sorry, I'm a very boring person," I fought back the urge to chuckle at myself.

Jenny's eyes widen. "Oh! No, you're not boring; I'm just saying that this is rather relaxing."

"Peace, Jenny," I reassured her that I was simply joking and that I wasn't offended.

"Well, anyways, this type of boring – I mean, activity, is relaxing." Jenny quietly cursed herself after saying that.

This time, I did laugh. "Is there something you want to talk about then?"

"Hmm," Jenny thought about it for awhile, at times she would open her mouth and then close it.

 _'Maybe she doesn't have any ideas at the moment,'_ Before I had the chance to redirect my gaze to the sky, Jenny caught my attention.

"If it isn't too much of a bother, can I know more about your childhood..?" What Jenny had said, caused me to look at her in the eyes; which were filled with curiosity.

"I guess it can't be helped." I couldn't reject her, not after what she told me the other night.

After collecting my words, I continued. "You already know how I lost both my Mother and Brother, but I might had also lost my Father along with them,"

"How so?"

"I just didn't like him, to be exact, it was just my childish self; being a little brat – it did harm our relationship, though." It was a bit embarrassing, however, it was just the past that I was speaking of.

"So you've never made amends with him – even when you left with your brother." Jenny's eyes were distant and dull, it was rather different when compared to the usual carefree energetic blonde.

"Sadly no, I haven't written a letter to him either; so I have no clue if the old man is still alive."

I was starting to fear for Jenny's mental state as she started muttering something, the only words that I could make out of it were; _'So you are alone too?'_

Deciding to snap her out of it, I offered her to do something more productive than sitting down on the grass. "Want to do some archery?"

"Archery?" Jenny luckily snaps out of her trance. "I have no idea how to use a bow,"

"I'll teach you,"

She gave me hesitant eyes. "Last time you tried teaching me something, I almost drowned," Jenny muttered.

I closed my eyes and forced a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing when it comes to the bow."

"If you say so.., however, we don't have a bow; or do we?" Jenny looked around and saw no signs of said weapon.

I chuckled. "I see over thousands of bows around us,"

Jenny gave me a weird look, basically saying if I was okay. "What?" She muttered under her breath.

"Go get some strings, I'll show you what I mean in a few minutes." Jenny followed my instructions and went off to the villa.

 _'First things first, need to find two good pieces of wood,'_ I started walking into the forest as I took out my carving knife.

"Blizzy! I got some neat pieces of string!" After a few minutes of searching, Jenny had finally returned from her small errand.

"Ah, lovely," Blizzard said as she sat on the ground patiently.

Jenny graciously hands her both strings, which Blizzard accepts and puts them on her lap.

"So where are the bows?" Jenny asked.

Ryoku couldn't help but smile as she pointed to the two wooden branches in front of her. "Right in front of us."

"Uh, are you okay Liz?" Jenny gave her a look of concern and confusion.

"Yes? I feel fine," Blizzard took out her carving knife and starting peeling the side of the wood.

Realization washed over Jenny's face as she saw her do this. "Whoa, you can make a bow?"

"Indeed, making a wooden bow is very simple to make in the wild, all you really need is practice and patience." Blizzard gestures to the other piece of wood. "Go on, try to copy me."

"Uh, alright; seems simple enough. Just scratch it on one end, right?"

"Pretty much, just keep in mind in how a bow looks like; you'll want to carve the form with care." Ryoku was quick to advise her before it was too late. "Cut too much wood, and the bow will be weak and small, and leaving too much; would cause drag and make it difficult to bend."

"Seems a bit complicated, but I'll try my best." Jenny falls silent and focuses on making her first bow.

Teaching always came to Ryoku naturally, it was part of her bloodline and it was something she always felt destined to do for her entire life.  
In occasions, Blizzard would take the time to glance over to Jenny's work and correct her if she saw any small errors that only someone with experience could see, but soon enough the bows were finished and well crafted.

"Hmm, this looks like a fine bow." I complimented Jenny as I carefully inspect her creation.

"Really?" Jenny's eyes lit up.

"Indeed, it's just missing one final detail." I grab a string and started tying knots around both ends of the semi-curved wooden piece.

"Now, it's important to make sure the string isn't larger than the bow itself. A way of knowing if it's ready would be observing both ends; making sure it curves a bit, but has room to curve more upon pulling the string backwards." As I finish the knots, I carve out a little line at the middle of the bow.

"Whoa, it totally looks like a bow now," Jenny says this as I hand it over to her.

"That little line is where the arrow goes, it'll help keep the shot steady." I grab my wooden piece and start doing the same process.

"Now what?" Jenny tries pulling the string backwards but I quickly stop her.

"Hang on, we'll need a tree branch for the next step." I stand up after finishing my bow. "Follow me."

I walk over to a nearby tree and positioned a branch between the bow and the string, leaving the string hanging underneath.

"Keeping the handhold at the center of the branch; grab the string and pull down slowly, in order to make sure that the limbs bend evenly," I say this as I start pulling down, causing the bow to bend but not break.

"What if the bow doesn't bend?"

"We carve some wood out until it does..." I stop pulling once I saw that the string was pulling down around the length of my arm when fully extended from my shoulder.

"This right here is your objective; making sure you can pull it back from a fully extended arm, all the way back to your jaw." I point out.

Jenny nods and starts doing the same process as I did. At first, she was scared of breaking the bow but got a bit of confidence after seeing how sturdy it was. The wood around here was perfect and I found many oak trees that were dry and dead but not gray with cracks.

"Hey look, it's done!" Jenny says happily as she pulls the string back without the help of the tree.

"Good job."

"Is it finally done now?"

"Yes, we just need to make some basic arrows," I say this as I look around for some sticks. "We won't be killing anything, so making a spearhead and a fletching won't be needed. Just find the straightest sticks around."

"Sure thing!" Jenny wonders off into the forest.

We soon gathered around ten good looking sticks; which I just sharpen one end without much care, and made a horizontal line on the other end where the string goes. The bows and arrows were very basic; only suited for emergencies or simple target practice.

I had carved out a cross on a tree and made Jenny try to shoot it, correcting her form and showing her the basics as hours went by.

It was midday when Jenny let out a groan. "Man, this is hard... Maybe my bow doesn't work?" She was doubting herself after missing a couple of shots in a row.

"You're to focus on using your eyes." I correct her.

"But don't I need my eyes for aiming?"

"You only need it for spotting the target, everything else is in your form." I take her bow and grab an arrow.

Jenny stands back and gives me some space.

"Here, I'll prove to you that the bow isn't at fault." As I finish that sentence, I lock my eyes with the cross and then closed them after I acquired enough information.  
After positioning my arm accordingly, I let the arrow fly through the air; an audible thunk is heard in the distance.

"You hit it!" Jenny exclaims.

Opening my eyes, I saw that the arrow had hit dead center of its mark. "Practice, patience, and observing the wind is key; closing my eyes helps me focus on my other senses," I explain.

"So I should aim without having my eyes open." Jenny suddenly concludes.

"No, you should keep your eyes open." I correct her before she blindly shoots someone.

"But, you just said that closing our eyes would help." Jenny pouted.

"Yes, I know; but I have had years of practice, while you just started today."

"Fine..." Jenny grabs the bow once more.

In occasions, she would land a couple of arrows on the tree, but either missed the mark completely or barely scratch it. Either way, she was improving quickly, however, time was running out.

"I need to go and find Raito. Can you keep practicing by yourself, Jenny?" I asked her as I saw what time it was.

"Yea, I'll keep at it." She replied with a grin.

Before I left, my eyes observed her form once more; this allowed me to notice her fatigued. "Give yourself a few minutes to rest, or your shots will get more sloppy."

Jenny was about to complain, but I left before she had the chance.

It didn't take long for me to find Raito, for he was at the entrance of the villa – in fact, he was about to close the door behind him.

"Raito," I call out his name as I approached.

"Ah, I was about to search for you," The swordmaster kept walking and took the forest path. "Let's not waste any time."

Once we reached an open field surrounded by trees, it was time to get straight down to business.

Raito was the first to speak. "We don't have much time, so I'll try to skip the boring stuff and teach you what I learned in the course of fifteen years," He then planted Arashi in the ground. "Grab it."

Hesitation was the first thing I felt. "Are you sure about this?" I grab the hilt carefully.

"Aye,"

I swallowed my saliva before grabbing the blade and pulling it out of the ground. The relic was surprisingly lighter than I originally foresaw, but I could easily sense immense power contained inside the blade; as if the sacred weapon was alive.

"Now, I'll need you to take your usual combat position," I followed Raito instructions, after doing so, he started correcting me. "Move your waist like so, keep your forearms in this position, while keeping your feet like so."

As Raito moved my body parts, I couldn't help but notice that I was mimicking his own stance. _'It must be a tradition for those who wield Arashi.'_

"Alright, remember this combat stance, it's meant to resist the firepower that Arashi has when making contact with any weapon," Raito explained after being satisfied with my positioning. "Use your entire upper body to swing the weapon, keep your feet planted at all times in order to maintain balance."

After a few minutes of memorizing how to maintain this position, I was now ready for the next big step – attacking with Arashi. "Okay, should I just attack the air?"

"Go for it!" Raito stood back a couple of feet, allowing me to test the weight and practice properly.

Blizzard started slowly at first but quickly picked up the pace after feeling a bit more comfortable with the weapon, meanwhile, Raito was checking her form and thinking on how to improve it drastically in the course of one day.

 _'Attacking with the blade is key, however, it won't be enough to defeat Akio – she'll need to summon its element and actually control it properly; something that she has never mastered.'_ Raito decided to stop her for now.

"You can hand me over the blade," Raito instructed; which confused Blizzard at first. "I need you to take off your Silver Rathalos armor."

"Pardon?" She looked at him blankly.

"The materials that your armor is made of tends to conduct electricity easily, Arashi doesn't just use normal elemental powers; it also uses real thunder strikes that it has absorbed over the course of years, due to this reason, it tends to shock the wielder at times," Raito said with a serious face.

"Ah, I see, well if that's the reasoning behind it," She proceeded to take off her coat, leaving herself in a black shirt and visible bandages on her arms. "Wait, so I'm fighting Akio without armor?"

"Nah, you'll be using my coat," Raito quickly planted Arashi in the ground once more. "Here, turn around, I'll put it on you."

Blizzard did what she was told and allowed Raito to put on his coat on her. "The sleeves are a bit long," She muttered softly.

"Just fold them a bit, anyways, this coat can resist electricity with ease, so it'll protect you from the majority of the backlash that Arashi tends to give to its wielder."

"Majority? Sounds like I'll experience some pain then," Blizzard went back into position and prepared herself to summon Arashi's elemental powers.

"You'll be fine, now go ahead and awaken it." Raito stepped back a safe distance.

Ryoku gave him a nod and started focusing.

 _'I'm fully aware that I'm not your owner, however, I ask for your partnership; so we may achieve victory together!'_ The blade responded with my feelings, electricity began dancing around the blade and then up my arm.

It was rather painful each time it managed to touch my skin – I did my best to endure the pain and continued my practice swings. Raito was right, the backlash was insane and I could feel a huge amount of recoil every time I sent a shockwave.

"Control your breathing and lessen the strength of your power!" Raito shouted from behind.

I followed his instructions, which in turn, did lower the power of my attacks; but it still kept hurting me slowly. "I need a break!"

Raito rushed over to me after I almost dropped the weapon. "Are you alright?"

"Yea, give me a bit of time to rest – how do you tolerate such pain?" I was impressed if this was what Raito managed every day.

"Same way you resist the cold," Raito unsheathed a wooden blade that I didn't notice before. "Here, we'll train your elemental control."

"You know very well that I can't do such a thing," I reminded him of my inability to control elements.

"Nonsense, you can control them; just not effectively like I can." Raito gestured to lift my weapon. "So, you either give up now or try your best to overcome a great weakness."

"There are times that your leadership truly shows," The words left my mouth without a second thought. "Alright, today you're my mentor."

The two of them started exchanging light blows, not to determine physical strength – but to make Blizzard summon her element every time Raito blocks an incoming attack.

 _'How nostalgic, my mother, the Guardian of Arashi before me, taught me how to master the elements the same way I am teaching Ryoku.'_ I was simply blocking all of her attacks, instructing her to focus, and to try striking me with just the element – as if it was an extra limb avoiding my blade and hitting me dead center.

 _'She seems too distracted upon doing this as if she can't do everything at once; most likely due to not being used to it. For example, I can already see her positioning being completely wrong,'_ I parried one of her attacks and struck her in the stomach. "Focus, Ryoku!"

"I'm trying..!" She yelled and started attacking faster.

 _'I can easily tell her how to control it, but that wouldn't help much.'_ As of now, Arashi was only aiming at the air around me. "You'll never win at this rate!"

The constant taunting was getting to her head. "Maybe..! If you just shut up, I can concentrate!" She said between strikes.

"So you're going to let Akio get into your head, just like I am!?" I fought back and landed a blow on her shoulder, Ryoku ignored the pain and kept attacking my wooden blade. _'If Arashi doesn't cut through this practice weapon like paper, then she is not ready.'_

This type of training was very important for anyone in my family, especially for the next guardian. Blizzard just needs to focus and rethink her strategy, something that I know; she'll eventually do.

"Fine!" Blizzard shouted this as she performed a spin backwards, after positioning herself two feet away, an overhead strike was aimed at my head.

An insane amount of electricity was dancing around Arashi, however, it was chaotic and was simply attacking at a random pattern. "I won't count such attacks as valid," I told her as I shake the weapon off.

 _..._

Hours went by – and it was nearing dusk fall – Ryoku was barely getting the hang of things, but her movements were slower and uneasy; she was nearing her limits.

"Would you like a break?" I offered her as we entered a small deadlock.

"No, we have to keep going," Sparks of electricity were finally reaching my skin, she was finally controlling them slightly.

"I'm surprised really, you only use such powers defensively – but when it comes to the offensive side, your weapon has to connect in order to do such a thing." I had it all figured out thanks to watching her recent battle.

"I know, it's an enormous weakness; when it comes to fighting other humans, that is." She replied with a shaky voice.

"An element isn't a weapon, Ryoku. Think of it as a partner, who attacks or defends – depending on what you order it to do, just like an extra limb." I gave her a bit of advice, or else this is going nowhere.

She suddenly stops and steps away. "I know that the issue is that I don't know how to manage everything at once."

"Is that so... Hmm, well try changing your emotion; maybe if you're calm and collected, you'll be able to handle it better."

Blizzard gave me a nod and took a few deep breaths. "I'm ready," Her eyes were distant and dull – lacking any color or emotion.

 _'Can she really control her emotions to such extremes?'_ My body steels itself as I saw her dash forward and attack my practice weapon.

The tiny sparks that were touching my skin were growing stronger, she was indeed growing in strength – even if it was still very fragile. _'Akio tends to block any incoming attack, and then uses his flames to damage her, however, if Ryoku can master her own elemental manipulation; she can easily counter his blocks.'_

The sun was now setting, both fighters were dancing around each other with their swordplay. Astonishment was the key word of their display of skills, they moved with grace and fluidness; physical strength was nowhere to be found in their performance, only their element abilities were being tested.

Raito would redirect any blades of electricity away with the palm of his hand, while his sword hand would block and allow Ryoku to keep practicing her elemental control.  
Both swordfighters kept going, even as the sun vanished over the horizon and nightfall covered the land once more.

* * *

 **The entrance of the Yselian Arena. Blizzard's POV.**

"This is it," I muttered as I looked back at my friends, they all smiled and gave me a thumbs up.

Earlier today, Aegis and Lucas handed me over two rather special items; to be exact, Aegis gave me a dash juice, while Lucas handed me over some nulberry remedies that I used to coat the bandages with, this way, Akio's flames won't harm me too much.  
Said bandages were being used to cover my upper torso, leaving my belly exposed. It was a very traditional look for female warriors, and I was only really using such a style in order to avoid being too heavy.

Jenny ran up to me and gave me a tight hug. "Good luck out there,"

"T-Thank you," I stood there a bit awkwardly since I wasn't expecting such a thing.

My eyes locked onto Raito's; he gave me a nod and pointed at his head with a finger, followed by his heart. _'Head high, emotions controlled.'_

"I'll see you all once I win," And with that, I turned and started walking down the hallway that leads into the arena.

Once I was inside said corridor, I made sure to reach into the pockets that Raito's coat has, and took out the dash juice Aegis had given me - then proceeded to drink it. _'Alright, I should be ready now.'_

My hand was clutching the hilt of Arashi tightly; as I entered the battlefield once more.

The crowd went wild as they saw Blizzard enter, it was at this moment that her friends entered the observatory balcony that they used last time.

"Look, Akio is already at the center." Aegis pointed out as he stood at the edge to get a better view of things.

"Aye, this battle will be intense," Lucas narrowed his eyes as he watched his leader approach the prince. "Man, she looks pretty different with that armor of yours, Raito."

Raito allowed himself to chuckle. "Like a true Swordmaster if I must say so myself,"

"Shhh, they're starting!" Jenny scolded them.

As the Huntress approached the Yselian Prince, Akio started speaking.

"Lady Blizzard, I'm glad to see you again; may we have a wonderful match." The greatsword user said with a smile.

However, Blizzard didn't respond with words – she responded by unsheathing Arashi and entering the combat stance that Raito taught her.

At this, Akio raised an eyebrow. "The silent treatment? Very well, I was trying to be civil; if you really want to fight that much, I'll grant you that wish." He as well unsheathed his royal blade.

The battle started in a very thunderous way, Blizzard closed the gap in a single dash and summoned an explosive amount of discharge with every strike – Akio could barely defend himself with his own flames, however, the fire element is nowhere near built for defense.

Flames and thunder strikes bounced off each other as their masters fought with swords. Ryoku would weave in and out of Akio's range before counterstriking each time she blocked a blow – the intense training she went through, flourish her true potential to manipulate elements – Akio was being constantly barrage by electricity each time their blades collided.

 _'Her personality, battle style, and the element has completely changed!'_ Akio was struggling more and more.

They entered a deadlock – their eyes illuminated by the plasma that was being created from the collision. "Tell me, Blizzard! How did you get such a powerful weapon!"

Blizzard kept a neutral face and didn't respond to his question. This annoyed the prince even further, causing his flames to turn an azure color. "Fine..! I'll treat you like hell!" Akio smacked her across the face and landed a kick on her guts.

The entire crowd seemly agreed to this display of behavior, all except a small group of course.

"That's dirty!" Jenny shouted at the top of lungs.

Raito didn't worry too much, for he had a faint smile. _'She's prepared for such things,'_

As if on cue, a thunderous roar was heard; everyone in the stadium went quiet.

There was a dark cloud surrounding Akio. _'Did she send a thunderbolt at me!?'_ He had managed to block one of Arashi's most dangerous attacks.

A smile soon crept up on his face. "Magnificant! I'm finally fighting a worthy opponent!" The prince started laughing as he walked out of the smokescreen.

Blizzard stood her ground and showed zero emotions.

Akio performed a Ground-Slash and sent forth a wave of flames, Ryoku was quick to sidestep and summon a shockwave of her own element right back at him.

"Predictable!" Akio slashed the center of the attack causing it to vanished as he charged forward.

Before the prince could land a horizontal slash, Ryoku's fast reflexes allowed her to backflip just in time – completely avoiding all danger – she then dashed forward and slashed his shoulder. Akio retaliated by kicking her away and cutting her thigh slightly as she tumbled to safety.

The prince wasn't done, however, he dashed forward and went for another upswing; Blizzard saw this a mile away and jumped on his blade, this caused her to be launch into the air and allowed her to spin on the way down.

 _'Shit..!'_ Akio turned around and sheathed his greatsword on his back, allowing him to block her devastating attack.

"Off of me!" Flames burst into action, causing Ryoku to retreat again. _'This woman, how is she so strong when compared to the first time I fought her; so emotionless as well, I feel like I'm fighting a river of water – everything I do is meaningless!'_

As Akio stared into Blizzard's eyes, he knew that he had lost this round – the huntress had yet to break a sweat and Arashi was becoming stronger by the second, resonating with her soul at full power.

 _'I need to yield and form a battle plan for the final round, however, I need to learn a bit more about her.'_ Akio unsheathed his greatsword and dashed in.

The audience was still holding their breath as they watched the fight in anticipation.

"The fight is starting to look one sided," Aegis pointed out the obvious.

Lucas nodded. "Yea, that's great; we'll be seeing the third round."

"Blizzy has to avoid taking any further damage, that way we have more time to prepare her for the final round."

Jenny reassured him by placing her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Aegis, just look at her skillfully taking that bastard down!"

Blizzard was indeed dodging left and right with ease, blocking the attacks by using the length of Arashi if needed; something that Raito taught her.

Akio at one point had enough of her games, he took a blow and proceeded to grab her by the neck with one hand; lifting her from her feet.

"I'll murder you if I have to!" Akio shouted in her face as she kicked him in the chest in vain.

"L-Let me go..!" Ice started appearing on Akio's armored glove, and soon, electricity started attacking him as well.

The prince was forced to drop her as he stared at his frozen hand. "So you finally spoke," Akio placed his hand on his flaming sword.

Blizzard went back to a neutral face and charged in – giving Akio little to no time to recover.

It was at this moment when Ryoku landed two slashes on both Akio's legs and kick him at the side of head; ending the match instantly.

Akio didn't yield, but Blizzard sheathed her blade and started leaving. "You've lost, we'll fight again the day after tomorrow." Was the only thing she said to him.

 _'You dare make fun of me, Huntress!?'_ Akio was having trouble getting back on his feet, for the wounds Blizzard inflicted were too deep.

"Akio!" The prince heard his sister Yuki. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, my little sister," He greeted her with a brave smile. "Nothing that a day of resting can't fix, however, tell me that you have the notes we needed."

Yuki went up to him and helped Akio stand up. "I do, I'll show you them once I make sure everything is in proper order."

"Good, I'll need them for the final round, I won't take any chances of losing against someone who isn't worthy of leading our army."

Yuki and Akio soon leave the battlefield and entered the hallway – opposite side of the one Blizzard took – the medical team was already waiting to take the injured prince to the health center. "Visit my room once you're done then, Yuki." And with that, Akio left the princess.

 _'Hmm, I may have notes of all of her moves, weaknesses, and strengths... But what we just saw today was something else, in fact, why was she using the same weapon Raito used to defeat me.'_ As Yuki went down the hallway pondering on what to do, she failed to notice a figure lurking in the shadows.

"Lost in that brain of yours like always, little sister." The man made his presence clear.

"H-Huh?" It took Yuki a good second or two to realize who it was. "Oh, Oki – I didn't see you there."

"Our dear brother failed to beat that pathetic monster," The spear master was referring to Blizzard.

Yuki titled her head in confusion. "Those 'Monsters' are the ones who will help us save Xil, and potentially Yselz."

"All they want is money, just like the previous groups; hell, they'll instantly die just like them." Oki hid in the shadows as he said this.

"That may be true, but it was father's decision – and as his children, we must follow orders and behave."

"Cut the nonsense talking, besides – why is Akio fighting them? He has no experience whatsoever when it comes to fighting creatures like these."

Yuki stomped her feet into the ground. "This is exactly why! You're too one minded, and it's also the reason why Father choose Akio over you; when it comes to selecting the next person to take the throne."

"And yet he entrusted me with the Yselian army that fights against mythical creatures." The man chuckled.

Yuki rolled her eyes and started walking down the hallway. "We all have different, point of views. Oki, you need to learn how to accept said views when speaking with others, this is why Akio is stronger than you. Now excuse me, I need to go help our Brother."

Oki watched her leave with narrowed eyes. "They have no idea how much I have suffered because of these hunters, I have lost so many good men out there, for nothing!" His eyes shifted to the arena outside. "I'll avenge them, one way or the other."

* * *

"You really should be more careful, young lady." Rose scolded Blizzard, who was laying on the bed.

"I know, I didn't think Akio would land such a cut on my thigh," The injury was rather deep, in fact; after I left the arena, I felt like passing out from blood lost. "Thank you for stitching it back to full health."

Rose was finishing up by wrapping bandages around my leg as I said this. "Anything for my cute little Blizzard," She gets up after giving me a wink. "I'll be off now, make sure to rest for today."

Right when Lady Rose left the room, Raito entered the room with a small tray of food. "Good timing on my part," He allowed himself to boast a bit. "Here, got you some soup and a glass of water."

"Soup?" I tilted my head as he placed the tray on my lap.

"Yup! They had your favorite too, Popo tongue soup, Pokke's favorite dish."

This made me slightly smile. "Thank you, Raito."

"Don't mention it, you did a really good job out there; it felt like I was watching my descendant using Arashi at full force,"

"Oh, by the way; your coat is on the table," I gestured with the spoon. "I was exhausted after that fight, Arashi consumes way more energy than I thought in a real fight."

Raito nodded with a smile. "At least you only need to win one more time, and I believe Wayland is almost done with your new weapon."

"Oh yea, I almost forgot about that; hopefully it's worth all the trouble."

The swordmaster simply shook his head and sat there in silence for a bit. It wasn't awkward or anything luckily, mostly due to me having complete trust in Raito, we've been through so much together and it has shown lately.

"Don't you feel like you won that match a bit too easily?" Raito suddenly said.

I had to agree with him, my first match was much more challenging. "Maybe I caught him off guard, he did have a look of surprise the entire time – but don't worry, I won't let my guard down for the final match."

"Well, depending on the situation, know that you can use Arashi again if needed." Raito stood up after saying this and showed signs of leaving. "I'll go check up on Wayland. See ya soon, alright?"

"Yea, I'll be right here." I joked at my current position.

Raito smiled as he shook his head, and with that, he left the room. _'Knowing my friends, I should have another visitor soon – who knows how much they take turns to see me during these days.'_

As if on cue, a hyperactive blonde enters my dorm. "Hiya!"

"Hello, Jenny." I notice her carrying a bath towel and some spare clothing, that were awfully familiar. "Are those my clothes?"

"They're indeed yours!" Jenny smiled, however, she didn't hand them over like I thought she would. "Now, let's carefully get you to the bathroom."

"Pardon?"

"You heard my young lady, we need to wash your body with a sponge; can't have you recent wound get wet." Jenny proceeded to take my tray of food and started getting me out of the bed.

"W-Wait, Jenny! I can bath alone just fine, I'm not a little girl!"

"Nonsense, my champion can't stress herself out right now," Before Jenny could get a hold of me, I ran into the bathroom and locked myself in. "Oh come on, Liz! Open the door!"

"No! I'm not letting a person ever see me naked unless I'm married to them!" I shouted back.

I heard an audible groan from the other side. "You're one of those types of girls? Man, and here I thought you wouldn't be so difficult – here, I'll be right back."

"Jenny, wait, what do you mean by 'be right back'?" After receiving no response from the blonde, I turned and decided to just wander around the bathroom. "Hmm, how can I get out without her seeing me?"

My eyes spot an air vent. _'Bingo,'_ I carefully made way over to said vent and did my best to open it; to my horror, it was sealed tight. _'What's this place? A damn prison?'_

A yelp escapes my lips as a loud slam on the door was heard. "Is that your hammer!?"

"Open up, Lizzy!" Jenny laughs evilly as she slams the door once more.

"You're out of your mind! Someone HELP!" I shouted as loud as I could.

Jenny shushed me as I did. "The maids are going to come running if you keep yelling!"

"That's the point! You're going to break the door down!" However, Jenny didn't care; she kept slamming the hammer on the door and I could hear the nails coming loose. "Please, stop it!"

"Hey what the hell is going on!" The voice told me that Aegis had entered the room.

I pleaded for his help. "Please, Aegis! Stop her!"

"Hell nah, not this crap again – I want nothing to do with this!" I heard the door slam and my only chance of survival were gone.

"AEGIS!" My shouts of horror were only greeted by a laughing Jenny.

"Open up, little Blizzy!" She slammed the door once more.

I let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll open up, we'll get kicked out if you break the door."

After that dreadful event, I hid under my covers for what seemed forever. "There goes any chances of ever being wed..." I muttered under my breath.

"Please, that won't determine who you're destined to be with," Lucas replied softly.

The young man was keeping an eye on my leg – ordered by his mother – he didn't really mind, he was, in fact, reading me the local newspaper in order to entertain me. "Hey, looks like your next match will be public."

"Really?" I finally had the courage to pull the sheets down; barely enough for my head to pop out.

"Says right here, _'A declaration in Yselian soils, Princess Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku, has challenged Prince Akio Yamada to a duel – dated two moons from today',_ so they did go with the whole disguising you as a royal from another kingdom."

"Interesting how I'm the one being blame for this whole ordeal," This was enough to get me out of my shell and sit up properly. "This whole 'testing our strength' was their idea."

"Yea, but the royal family is the role model for the entire Yselian kingdom – so they can't make them the villains," Lucas remarked the bitter truth.

I took the time to ponder for a bit before speaking out loud. "I've no idea what they're planning, best to just go with it and be extra cautious."

"Don't worry, Vice, we'll have your back," Lucas reassured me.

I gave him a smile for his kind words, and then my eyes wandered to the window. "It's getting dark, isn't it." The sun was indeed setting from the looks of it.

"Aye, dinner should be ready soon; I'll go get a maid to deliver your food – your leg looks healthy, but you should rest either way." And just as quick as he said this; Lucas left.

 _'Hmm, so the match will be public this time; do you really think this will hold me back, Akio?'_ This actually made me want to fight, even more, I wasn't planning on letting up and now with this piece of news – I'm definitely not showing any mercy.

A knock on the door alerted me of someone waiting in the doorway. "Good evening, Blizzard."

My eyes shift to the voice and saw that Wayland was standing there. "You may enter, Wayland."

As the blacksmith entered, I notice he was carrying a box. "As you can see, I've got a little surprise for ya."

"Have you really finished it?" I could already feel my heart pounding.

"You're correct Huntress," Wayland gave me the rectangular box. "Your friends are on their way as well."

As he said this, I could hear their voices coming from the hallway. "I'm guessing they want to see it as well."

"You bet we do!" Jenny rushed in and sat next to me on the bed.

"Nya! Momo has been helping Wayland all this time!" The small feylne had also jumped on the bed.

Meanwhile, the boys stood next to Wayland. "Go on, open it up." Raito was grinning.

I gave them a nod as I started opening the container, once it did open; I was honestly astonished by what I saw. "There's no way this is my Heaven's Thunder," I took the blade and held it in front of me, allowing the illumination of the candle to show its details.

What was once my Lagiacrus longsword, had completely transformed into a different weapon. The entire blade was made out of a black metal, and at the handle, it was decorated with a long white ribbon. As for the offensive side, the weapon had a guard with three spikes; indicating that it would be useful for blocking or close combat. The blade itself was curved in different areas, allowing it to pierce through armor and cause devastating damage upon entering its victims, however, this wasn't the thing that stood out the most.

"What are these gems?" I said this as I stared at five orbs decorated along the blade itself.

"Mantles made out of Kushala, Oroshi, and Azure dragon gems," Wayland quickly explained.

The latter made my stomach turn slightly. _'So he used Alatreon materials,'_ The black material made sense now – they were Elder dragon scales, the same dragon that murdered my brother.

"I also used plenty of cryo sacks, in order to empower the ice element even further."

My eyes raised a bit at hearing this. "So you turned an electric weapon into an ice element one..?"

"My apologies for making devastating changes, but with the battle notes I recorded with your recent fights, I highly believe this weapon is perfect for you," Wayland said with a small smile.

I shook my head and reassured him. "No, I love it Wayland – truly, I'm very grateful." I handed over the weapon to my friends, so they can see it for themselves.

Wayland let out a loud crackle. "I'm glad you love it, Huntress! Why don't you head outside and test it!"

"Should I?" I asked this to my friends, who were basically my nurses at the very moment.

"I think Mother wouldn't mind too much," Lucas said as he observed the weapon in his hands. "Plus, I'm pretty curious to see this thing in action."

"I'm sure it'll be fine as long as you don't run around," Aegis had also agreed.

"I'll help her get up then," Raito started getting me out of bed, and so did Jenny.

I found a comfortable position as to not hurt my leg too much once we stood outside. "So, I should be able to summon the ice element, right?"

"Correct, young Blizzard!" Wayland happily replied.

 _'I should be careful then, Raito may have trained me on how to control my elements, however, my ice strength is beyond my control last time I used it.'_ I held the one and a half handed blade as if it was a greatsword. _'Hear my prayer, let us form an undying contract – summon your powers!'_

One of the five orbs started glowing and small but very visible glowing orbs of light started appearing me.

"Whoa! Is that normal Wayland?" Jenny asked everyone's question.

"I believe so?" Wayland then started laughing. "Blacksmiths usually have no idea what they've created, and I'm afraid this is one of those creations that follows said law."

"Well, they are responding to my emotions," As I said this, the orbs grew brighter. "So I assume they're indeed elemental barriers."

The ice element. One of the hardest elements to master due to its unusual behavior, mostly due to it being more on the defensive side – just like the fire element, which tends to be on the offensive all the time. _'So, these ice orbs should act upon sensing danger...'_

My head turned as I locked eyes with Raito. "Mind summoning your electricity?"

Ratio gave me a short nod and proceeded to touch Arashi's hilt – sparks started flying outwards – before it finally transformed into a powerful thunderbolt.

 _'Just like Raito said, imagine my element as an extra limb; tell it to defend!'_ The countless amount of ice orbs viciously attacked the incoming intruder, in the blink of an eye, the orbs encased the thunderbolt; causing it to explode inside the icy prison. _'Ugh, that takes way too much energy and concentration; it would be a very weak tactic during a real hunt.'_

"Nice job, Ryoku!" Raito complimented me anyways as I started messing around with the amount of energy I should use.

"Hey, don't drain all of your energy right now," Aegis warned me. "Best to rest tonight and practice tomorrow."

"Yea, you're right." I was about to sheath my blade, but I notice that Wayland didn't make that possible for some reason. "Um, Wayland?"

He noticed my confusion but gave me a reassuring thumbs up. "The ribbon."

I grabbed said ribbon, and notice that it was made out of some type of fur – most likely Lagombi. _'Ah, so I can tie it around my waist like some type of scarf?'_ As I did so, the thing fits my waist perfectly and froze in place.

"You're really ingenious," I complimented the blacksmith as I did a small spin to test it, once I saw that it wouldn't fall off, I was satisfied. "Thank you, Wayland, the weapon is truly amazing."

"Not a problem, Huntress! Now do us all a favor, and give that prince what he deserves!"

Everyone chuckled lightly and agreed with what Wayland said. It was then when we decided to finally head to bed for the evening.

* * *

The next day was a busy one for Blizzard, for she was adapting herself to the newly created blade Wayland crafted for her. However, today was very different from the ones before – for today, it was snowing.

This didn't stop the group's leader, in fact, she showed signs of being even more powerful than usual.

Raito was the first one to stop by with two cups of warm tea. "Hey, Ryoku-!" He stopped in his tracks as he saw her practicing.

The Pokke girl was fast on her feet, now, this is a normal thing for her, but something seemed different.  
Blizzard almost seemed to camouflage with her surroundings as she weaved back and forth and attacked with the blade. The ribbon hugged her slender body as she moved through the air with grace as if she was a battle seraph meant for fighting in snowy areas.

 _'Why and how is she faster? Has Ryoku been holding back all this time..?'_ As I stepped forward, the cracking sound of a branch was heard. _'D-Damn it.'_

"Ah, Raito." Blizzard had noticed my presence and was now sheathing her weapon.

"I brought some warm tea, I know the cold doesn't effect you, but I know that you enjoy some tea every now and then."

"How considerate of you, thank you, Raito." Blizzard gingerly accepts the tea cup and takes a small sip. "Mmm, did you make it?"

"Was it really that noticeable?" After she gave me a nod, I responded with a chuckle. "Well, yes I did, they had the right ingredients lying about."

"I remember all the times you would keep an eye out for said herbs during our adventures out in the wild," She giggled while finishing up the cup of tea.

"Hey, drinking water all the time gets rather boring."

"I agree," Ryoku handed me over the cup and looked as if she was about to resume her training.

"Mind if I watch? Something feels very different about your movement." I asked politely.

Ryoku gave me a look of confusion by tilting her head slightly, something that she tends to do without thinking. _'She has many small habits that are quite childish, now that I think about it.'_

"Sure, you can watch; I really don't mind." Blizzard's voice caused me to leave my small trance.

 _'I guess I'll go sit over on that log,'_ Ryoku was already heading over to her original position. _'She is indeed faster, I'm not just imagining things.'_

It was a very subtle change, but I could definitely see a small difference when compared to her usual level of skill. This time, Blizzard seemed more fluid, faster, and more gentle with each attack. _'Just like a snowflake, I find it rather amusing that her name fits her so well.'_

Thanks to Wayland, Ryoku was also using a very familiar blade – this was due to it using her Heaven's Thunder as the base model, so the weight should be almost the same.  
The small blue orbs of light were dancing around her, swaying around the air along with her white ribbon.

"She's ready to fight Akio, I can feel it," I muttered said words lightly.

* * *

The next day was rather hectic for me. "Liz, hurry up!" Jenny's voice was heard outside of my room.

"I know, just hang on." I was putting on the winter coat I bought back in Dundorma, but I made sure to equip the same bandages that were coated in nulberry remedies before the last fight. "I feel a bit naked..." I muttered softly as I stare at myself in the mirror.

Aside from my coat and armor leggings, I was just wearing said bandages at my chest and my shorts. Due to this, my belly was exposed, along with a good portion of my thighs, but I had a good reason for this; in fact, it was due to a great discovery during yesterday's training. _'I can't have any type of extra weight slow me down, not for this battle.'_

"Momo! Let's go," The small Felyne jumped off of the bed and landed on my shoulder.

Once I entered the hallway, Jenny was rather surprised with my looks. "What's with the new type of style?"

"You'll see once we get there, come on; I'm sure everyone is waiting for us."

It didn't take long for us to reach outside, and everyone was indeed waiting for us – and by everyone, I really did mean everyone – Rose, Richard, Wayland, Raito, Aegis, Lucas, and Syhr noticed our arrival at the sound of the door opening.

Raito was the first to speak. "Ah, there she is, alright let's get moving." We started walking down the path.

"Oh, I can't wait to see my little angel fight that silly prince!" Rose let out a small shriek to further prove her point.

 _'I might as well die of embarrassment,'_ I joked bitterly to myself.

"Now, honey, I need you to calm down." Richard thankfully lent me a hand.

Syhr couldn't help but laugh with his already very loud voice. "What have I missed over the past few days!"

"A lot of humiliating moments," I muttered, causing the majority of the group to chuckle.

"Yo, Blizzy; are you sure that sword will take a hit?" Aegis was already showing his concern.

I looked over to Wayland. "Depends, I'm sure Wayland made it sturdy."

The blacksmith looked offended for a second. "Of course it's sturdy, that blade won't break anytime soon; I can assure you that."

"You haven't named it?" Lucas asked casually.

"Not really, I'm waiting till I have a real battle with it before blessing it," I answered sincerely.

Raito cut into the conversation with a small question. "Blessing it, isn't that a rather old tradition?"

"You're correct, said tradition was followed by my family and its ancestors – I sadly didn't do such a thing with LaFalla, something that I personally regret."

Wayland reassured me by laughing at this. "Don't worry, young Blizzard; the mere fact that you used said weapon to its fullest makes me proud of my creation, even if it did end up breaking."

Raito let out a nervous laugh as the large man said this for some reason. "Yea, plus it was rather convenient that it broke!"

I couldn't help but tilt my head after hearing this. "You're acting a bit weird, Raito."

Wayland seemingly stepped in and grabbed the swordmaster by the neck. "Oh, he's just being paranoid! The poor man thinks that a knight broke your weapon before the fight, nothing special."

 _'Well, that was rather odd...'_ Deciding to not press the matter any further, I changed the topic as we entered the streets. "I do think that Akio was holding back in our previous battle, something just didn't feel right."

"Hmm, it was indeed one-sided." Lucas agreed with me.

Aegis also nodded. "He didn't have to win the second round, so he was probably testing your best weapon – since you were forced to use it, especially if you wanted a third round."

"Ah, that makes sense," I grabbed the hilt of my weapon. "So I fell into his trap."

I felt Jenny's hands grab my forearm. "It won't matter if he can't predict this weapon!" She gently shook the hand that was holding my new sword.

"That's true, I'll give it my all; don't worry," I reassured them all.

"That's the spirit, my sweetheart!" Rose shouted up ahead – she was at the lead of the group, along with Richard. "But you'll have to prepare yourself mentally, we're almost there."

I looked up ahead, and sure enough, the arena was already in view. "Is that a line of people I see?"

There was a huge crowd trying to enter through the front entrance. "Guess so, don't worry, we can enter through the back." Richard quickly dismissed the issue as something simple to solve.

Aegis whistled in admiration. "Man, this looks like a festival."

Richard ordered everyone to stay close as we approached the large crowd. It took us awhile to reach the back entrance Richard was talking about earlier, but we finally managed to make way into the private observatory balcony.

"Ah, so you guys were up here for the first two fights," I said with curious eyes as I absorbed the arena from this view. "You can see everything from here."

Raito stood tall next to me. "Aye, and by the looks of it – the spectator zones are filling up fast."

"Lucas saw the invite on the local newspaper," I recalled the small memory as I watched the people enter the stadium.

"Correct!" I heard the dual-blade user's voice. "They called it a fight between two royals, so naturally, everyone is pouring in to see."

"Wouldn't that also mean that the crowd is against Blizzy?" Aegis remarked.

We all stood there in silence as the realization dawn on us.

Rose was the first one to speak. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's a natural thing when it comes to these type of places; so just do your best out there." She was very serious for once.

"I will, thank you." I gave her a smile.

Rose blushed and covered her face. "She's too adorable!"

 _'I take it back, she isn't serious at all.'_ I felt my eye twitch slightly before I focused on what was really important. "I should head down there, Akio should be entering the field soon."

"You can just jump down from here, the height isn't really dangerous," Raito suggested.

"No need for a dramatic entrance, I'll see all of you soon." And with that, I left the observatory room and went downstairs.

Before I entered the field, I tied my hair into a long singular ponytail that went down my entire back side. _'I should consider cutting it to waist length'_ It was already reaching my lower thigh.

As I entered the arena's warm sands and dirt – the crowd cheered with joy upon seeing that the battle was about to start.  
The gates on the opposite side of me started opening as I approached the center. "Of course, why wouldn't he have a grand entrance."

The audience roared with energy as they started cheering Akio's name. Soon enough, the prince was out of the shadows and was now in full view, his armor shining under the sunlight.

"Princess Blizzard! At last, we fight for the final time!" Akio made sure everyone in the stadium could hear. "But before we start, I must tell you how grateful I am, for your aid will allow Yselz to avenge Xil and reunite with Zitrios!"

The audience roared in approval. "Of course, Prince Akio; I'll help as much as I can after this friendly sparring match of ours."

Akio smiled upon seeing that I was playing along. "Good! Without further ado. Shall we begin, your highness?"

 _'I rather be called a Huntress, but whatever,'_ I unsheathed my unnamed blade readied myself in my usual stance.

Akio soon followed behind and stood there with weapon drawn. "Like I promised, I won't be holding back!" Blue flames engulfed his blade as he said this.

"Likewise," Blue orbs started floating around me, ready to dash in and protect me.

This caused the Prince to look at her with a surprised face. _'She isn't using the same weapon, best to be cautious for a bit.'_

Akio went for the first move as he dashed in and forced a deadlock, this caused a devastating fury of ice and flames to appear – defending their respective users. However, to everyone's surprise, Blizzard's blade reacted accordingly to the situation and simply put out the flames upon making contact with Akio's blade.

"W-What!?" Akio retreated upon realizing his weapon had frozen.

Ryoku looked at her weapon a bit confused, but she realized that it somehow had the ability to cut through fire and dispel the element. _'Is the Alatreon materials so strong that it can do such a thing?'_ She shook the thought away and dashed forward; fully keeping the pressure on the Prince.

Everytime Akio ignited his blade, Blizzard would cut through the flames as if the air around her weapon was impossible to set on flames. _'Wayland, you're a legend.'_ A smile appeared on her face.

"Tsk, you dare smirk!" Akio placed the greatsword on his shoulder and started punching and kicking.

Blizzard easily danced around his strikes, however, she couldn't find the opportunity to counterattack. _'Akio is incredible when it comes to attacking nonstop! I can't find a single opening if he keeps this up... Focus Ryoku, this man doesn't fall into any obvious patterns, but all you need is patience.'_ Blizzard kept her cool as she dodged left and right.

Akio slammed the greatsword over his head, Ryoku managed to sidestep in time and stand on top of his blade. "Check!" She kicked his chin while performing a backflip, causing them gain a bit of distance between each other.

As Akio was recovering from the blow, Blizzard notices a certain glow to her weapon. "What..?" The second orb was now glowing and resonating with her soul. _'Wait, I can use my spirit already!?'_

"Stop daydreaming!" A punch to the face was enough to send her stumbling backwards.

The crowd cheered in excitement, however, Ryoku's friends didn't take that tactic too kindly. "I really just want to jump in there and electrocute the living hell out of him."

"Yea, I'll join you and blast his corpse to smithereens."

The fight had started once more after Blizzard managed to recover from the blow. _'Normally it takes around a week to activate a spirit blade, this is why I never entered the silver mod with Arashi, but it seems like this blade has the same link as Heaven's Thunder did – even if it's a bit weaker.'_ Ryoku fell into a specific stance, one was allowed her to ready herself into spirit mode.

 _'I need to ignore all the pain and go all out for just a bit, silver-gauge will bring me victory.'_ The memory of past fights that were ultimately won, filled my mind.

 _'Akio is nothing but a small obstacle in my way!'_ I dodged one of his attacks – and sent a strong kick to his chest – once the man started losing his balance, I began my spirit chain.

The first blow landed strongly on his chest, Akio retaliated by blocking my next strikes; this threw him further off balance. "You're wide open!" I slam my blade down, causing him to leap back in order to dodge.

"You will not escape!" I spin forward – an ice trail followed my movement and froze the air – Akio was forced to block the attack with his blade, which in turn made him slide back from the force.

A smile appeared on my face. _'It connected with his weapon, an extension of his arm, my blade tasted living flesh and has now...'_ I point the tip of the blade towards Akio's neck. _'It has now entered the first spirit gauge.'_

To my surprise, the blade went a drastic change. The blade used to be a black metallic one-sided sword, but now, it had a sharp layer of ice following the same shape the black portion had.

Three out of five orbs were now glowing – white dots were swirling inside – the blade felt alive. "If you hold back any further, Akio, you will indeed lose like a fool!"

The prince had a look of shock for a few seconds before narrowing his eyes and sporting his trademark frown. "I have no clue what you've done, Blizzard, but you're merely a cat puffing out its fur in order to make itself look bigger."

"Try me then!" As those words escaped my mouth, a silver aura surrounded my body and at the corner of my eyes I spotted something unusual. "S-Snow?"

The arena was now snowing, even in the sunny day that was currently ongoing. Everyone in the stadium went dead silent, wondering why such a thing was occurring.

"Wait, how is it snowing?" Jenny asked as she observed with a dumbfounded face.

Everyone turned to Wayland, who simply shrug. "Like I said, I've no damn clue what that weapon has in stored."

"Wayland, you said that blade has the power of three ice wielding Elder dragons, correct?" Raito asked the blacksmith.

"Indeed, but I was expecting the mantles to actually turn the entire battlefield into its play den!" Wayland let out a loud crackle.

Syhr joined in with the laughter. "Well, I'll be! This surely is something else!"

Jenny shouted upon seeing the fight continuing. "Guys look!"

Blizzard had the upper hand, every time she swung her blade, the snowflakes and blue orbs of light would shift and float to Akio – who would proceed to burn them with his weapon. "Stop this at once!" The prince demanded with an anger tone.

 _'I feel right at home!'_ Blizzard was attacking faster, just like yesterday when Raito saw her fight at full force during the snow storm.

Blizzard's eyes glimmered and a smile appeared on her face. _'Sorry, Akio, but I won't be showing any mercy!'_ The powers her bloodline had carried for generations was appearing, Akio locked his eyes with hers and the prince could feel his stamina being drained away slowly.

Akio knew he was in trouble. _'I need to take advantage of my range then!'_ He took a few steps back and used the tip of the blade as the main attacker – using flames for extra range.

"As if that will stop me!" Something made Ryoku grab the weapon by the ribbon, a pillar of ice appeared and engulfed said strap of fabric – effectively making it into an extended handle, and making the sword a spear instead.

 _'I've no idea how that worked, but now the range game is mine to win,'_ I kept stabbing the surprised Yselian Prince with the newly made halbert.

Akio soon adjusted and started blocking the attacks before his injuries became too grave for him to handle. _'It's getting so cold, and I can feel my energy vanishing for some reason, who is she!?'_

Akio let out a shout of pain as a blue orb managed to creep up and touch the exposed wound on his shoulder. "I'm not going to fall!" A red aura appeared around him, unfreezing the area that made contact with Ryoku's element.

"Interesting..." I shut away my smile, allowing Akio to regain his stamina back slowly. _'I should at least give him a fighting chance.'_

The man was charging me like a bull now, his attacks were faster and a lot stronger, I had no idea how his shoulders weren't dislocated from just swinging that weapon with one arm.

The close range attacks forced me to abandon my Halbert mode and turned the weapon back into a sword.

Instincts kicked in and I dodged two attacks with a single fade-slash, I proceeded to spin forward and went for a spirit-spin. _'Whoa!'_ My eyes widen in surprise as I closed the distance way too fast.

Akio was forced to block and he retreated. "What kind of trickery is this!?"

I lower my head and looked at the ground – it was frozen solid. "Did the fade-slash...?" I test out my theory by slashing my weapon at the ground.., I watched it freeze almost instantly.

 _'So my fade-slash attacks will become faster, I just need to not slip on my own ice trails.'_ I gave myself a determined nod before charging back into the fight.

I kept the blade low to the ground on purpose, freezing the area it touched in a single second. "Take this!" I upswing the blade and extended its reach at the same time, turning it into a Halbert once more before slamming the weapon back down.

Akio used the ice trails to his advantage and slid away from my reach. _'Of course, anyone can ice skate Ryoku...'_ I scolded myself lightly. "I won't let you escape!"

The image of a bow appear in my mind, the ice resonated with my feelings and formed an ice twin on the opposite side of the blade. "Now..," I grab the hilt with my left hand and turned it sideways, effectively making it look like a bow. "Let's see how well you can dodge this!"

Upon pulling my fingers back, an ice arrow appeared. _'If Raito can summon thunderbolts, what's stopping me from using my own ice shards as a ranged weapon.'_ My fingers let it fly, just like a normal arrow.

Said ice arrow followed the trajectory I aimed at – Akio managed to block it with his blade – a loud explosion was, followed by a cloud of mist.

No one dared speak, or at least the normal crowd didn't. "What in the actual fuck is going on." Aegis cursed to himself.

"She... Summoned two different weapons," Lucas only repeated what he saw, but had no clue how or why.

"And here I thought she didn't have enough elemental control," Raito was smiling, he felt more pride rather than confusion. "That weapon of hers is complimenting her abilities! It has enough strength to support her amazing battle style."

"Short, mid, and long range," Wayland muttered. "I've created a monster!"

This seemed to knock everyone off their seats. "Wait you really didn't have any idea the weapon would do this?" Syhr laughed loudly in response once the blacksmith shook his head.

Back into the heat of things, Blizzard had switched back into sword mode, for the bow she recently created shattered upon using one arrow. _'It's highly unstable by the looks of it, so I assume I can only use its long range every now and then.'_

"I'm left without words, Blizzard." Akio walked out of the mist, shaking his head in order to get the snow out of his eyes.

"You don't need any in order to fight!" I dashed in and went for simple strikes in order to test his overall stamina that was left.

Luckily, Akio was having a very hard time keeping up with my attacks. "Just give up Akio, no need to hurt yourself any further." I tried to reason with the man, but he simply grunted and kept attacking.

 _'I need to cripple this man and end the fight before it's too late,'_ I switch my sword into Halbert mode and started swinging the weapon wide – forcing Akio to retreat into the appropriate striking distance.

I managed to stab him a few times, both shoulders and both legs to be exact. "You're losing, and you'll only bring shame to your people if you don't surrender," I said as I watch his limbs slowly freeze up.

"I know I'm destined to lose... But that doesn't mean I should give up so easily!" Akio's blade gave off a golden shine.

 _'The greatsword, also known as the weapon of self-acceptance, Akio accepting his fate has summoned the blade's true strength – Lion's Maw.'_ I watched as the man was engulfed in the golden aura.

"I'll finish this fight, once and for all!" The man was about to do a Ground-Slash by the looks of it.

"Good grief," I summon my bow and aimed in front of me – before Akio could upswing the blade, my arrow was already shot into the ground.

An explosion occurred and a smokescreen covered the entire field.

Raito stood up nervously. "Hey, hey! I can't see anything!" The swordmaster complained.

"I think Liz summoned a defensive barrier just in time," Lucas replied as he waited for the smoke to clear. "But, was it enough to stop Akio's powered up attack?"

"I see something!" Jenny quickly said while pointing to Blizzard's side of the field.

The Vice president was still on her feet, and looked healthy as ever – everyone let out a sigh of relief.

 _'Was that enough? Did my ice element bounce off the ground and hit him?'_ The smoke was starting to clear, and as it did, I could see a large pillar of ice extending forward to where Akio was.

"Release me at once!" A male voice was heard, and soon enough, a man imprisoned in ice was seen.

The ice had eaten Akio's flames and turned them into his own personal cage, for half of his body was eaten alive by Ryoku's element. "How can it be... There's just no way my fire could just turn into ice so suddenly!"

"You're indeed correct, Prince Akio. However, the issue here was that you were weakened enough – enough to make your flames resemble a piece of paper, at this point you could say they were simply illusions." I walked over to his frozen body and gave him a menacing glare. "Now, be smart and surrender."

Akio bit his lips and started focusing his strength into a single point; his greatsword.

"Tsk, what a pain." Blizzard jumps back and prepares herself as she saw the ice prison starting to shatter. _'There goes my bluffing, to be honest, I'm also using up too much energy.'_

Flames appeared around Akio as he shouted in rage. "That word does nothing but feed my anger!"

"You've reached your limits, why can't you see that?" Ryoku steels herself in sword mode.

"That's where you are wrong. Limits are but illusions that cloud the mind, I am not one to fall into such mindsets." Akio goes into a battle stance before running towards Blizzard.

"Limits are what show weaknesses. Weaknesses show what to improve; your mindset is flawed and ignorant." I replied back as he charged at me.

We entered one last deadlock, but this time, our elements were in a complete standoff – Akio was pulling off a final gambit. "Inspiring words! I might take them to heart!" Akio said between small grunts.

However, what the prince didn't notice was that I froze my feet in place, I wasn't going to move anytime soon. _'I feel bad for pulling off the same trick I used on Lucas, back at the guild.'_

I took advantage of this. "See, you can't even make me struggle anymore – you're too tired to keep going, just give up!" I was, of course, bluffing, but I really didn't want to hurt the man.

This was enough to make Akio's willpower crumble slightly, which allowed me to gain the upper hand and push him away in my Halbert range. "Even so, I won't stop attacking until you yield!" I landed four strikes in the same area I previous attacked.

The prince retreated out of my range, and I quickly switched into my bow. "Block this!" I shouted as all my energy was poured into one final arrow.

My Silver-spirit was also drained in the process and I could feel what remaining stamina I had, being drained. _'Ah, so I finally learned what this weapon uses... My own stamina and water supply is being consumed.'_ My mouth was extremely dry, and the snow around me was swirling around the arrow.

With a final deep breath, I let the arrow loose and watched soar through the air – freezing the ground underneath its trajectory, even if it didn't touch it.

Akio didn't move, it barely missed by a couple of inches and hit the wall behind him. "D-Did you miss on purpose, just to annoy -!?" Akio's words were cut off as he felt four ice shards pierce all of his limbs.

"Of course not, why would I miss such an easy target," I answered him as I saw him lose consciousness. "I'll spare your life, simply because I'm not you; my purpose in this world is to conserve life, not destroy it."

The arrow had exploded behind the prince, it then grew spikes; which in turn pierced Akio from behind. The man was going nowhere, not until I said so.

Akio didn't respond, he had fainted. "Alright, I'll take that as a victory." Upon sheathing my weapon, the ice, snow, and blue orbs of light – all vanished into thin air.

After a couple of seconds of pure silence, the crowd starts cheering and clapping upon realizing who the victor was. _'Finally, this whole trial is over, we can finally move on and save Xil.'_

"LIZ!" I turned around just in time to catch a Deviljho before she tackled me to the ground. "You did it! You really did it!" She cheered while cuddling me.

"Jenny, please!" I plead her to stop, but to no avail. "Guys, help me!"

"Sorry, but we agreed to let her this time," Aegis said with a grin as the others nodded in agreement.

"You're all traitors!" I shout at the top of my lungs, causing them to laugh.

 _..._

After the battle was won, we decided to go eat as a small celebration while also giving me some time to rest. Rose had decided to go the inner walls of the castle grounds and eat at a small cafe that she enjoyed.

It was a very simple place, to be honest, but that's what gave the place its charm in my opinion.

"Man, what should I order? Hey, Aegis, you won't mind if I test every food, right?" She gave him an evil smile.

Aegis almost choked on his own tea. "P-Please, reconsider."

Jenny laughed and decided to spare the young man by ordering something simple.

"I must say once more, great job out there, Blizzard." Richard complimented me.

I just shake my head while smiling. "It was nothing, really."

"I just love her sweet little modest personality!" Rose stated.

Lucas sunk into his seat in embarrassment. "M-Mother, please just stop."

Everyone started laughing at the whole thing, which did catch the eyes of a few people trying to enjoy their meals.

"But jokes aside, Ryoku; I'm amazed by the performance you showed us," Raito spoke up.

I couldn't help but grin. "Somehow, when you say it – I don't feel anything."

"Okay, that actually hurts." Raito winched in pain.

Jenny giggled before speaking up. "Hey, did you name your weapon yet?"

 _'Ah, that's right, I was going to name it after my first battle with it.'_ In response to Jenny's question, I responded by shaking my head.

"Why don't we do just that then!" Aegis reached into his pocket and took out a notebook. "For every weapon should have a name! They give it a soul and a sense of partnership!"

Lucas chuckles as he takes a sip of his own drink. "Oh, boy, Aegis is in his 'zone'..." He joked as he watched the brunette write at rapid speeds on the piece of paper.

"Hmm... Names huh." Jenny had a solemn face and was taking the situation quite seriously.

"Gelidus." Raito suddenly says out loud.

"Pardon me?" I tilt my head at the man next to me.

"Gelidus; means ice or frosty, it was used in an ancient language." He responded to my confusion.

"I see... Gelidus is a lovely name, Raito." I tell him as I put the blade on the table.

"It's definitely fitting," Aegis smirks as he taps his pen on the table. "However, I find just 'Gelidus' to be way too short for my taste."

"I agree, sir Aegis." Raito then points at Jenny. "Any ideas lady Jenny?"

"Oh! Um, I was just thinking..." Jenny hesitates a bit for the sudden attention but recovers after a taking a deep breath.

"You looked like a dancer when fighting Akio, so I guess that's my input; sorry if it doesn't help." She starts finger-twiddling upon getting the sudden attention of everyone.

"Nonsense, that helps a bunch, Jenny," Aegis reassures her. "For Jenny is speaking the truth! So maybe something related to dancing?"

"May I speak?" Lucas raises his hand and we fall silent as we give him our attention. "In Yselz, ballet is a traditional dance art." Lucas puts his hand down after seeing that he had our attention.

"I would assume giving it the name of something related with Yselz would be fitting; seeing as its first victory was against the Yselian prince." He concluded.

"That's a very good idea, son." Richard agreed with him.

"Gelidus Ballet... Is that correct?" I ask them.

"Well, it's just a suggestion! We are just giving you ideas-" Aegis says from across the table.

"I love it." I cut him off.

"I mean we can always keep – wait, what did you say?" Aegis looks back at me with widening eyes.

"It's a name all my friends came up with, It'll be an honor to bless my blade with such a name."

They all smile back at me and nod. "Like I said before, this time I will bless the blade properly." I look down at Gelidus Ballet on the table and I touch it with my hand gently.

"How does blessing a sword work anyways?" Jenny wondered out loud.

I responded to her question with ease. "Naming the blade can be a small step, but spending time alone with it can make it resonate with the user's soul a lot faster.

"Wouldn't just using it in battle be more convenient?" Jenny questions me.

"Yes and no, we don't have much time, forging the spirit blade faster is necessary."

"Liz is correct, she only went up to Silver-Guage during her fight," Lucas recalls the memory.

"Ah, that's right... I never used a longsword before, I thought you could always enter its final stage." Jenny knocks her head gently as she glued the facts together.

"It takes a week just to enter Silver mode," Aegis explains as he started putting his stuff away.

"A week?! Then how did Liz activate it so quickly?" Jenny points at me as she said this.

"Most likely due to the materials Wayland used," I answer her, while I caress the dark scales of Gelidus. "This blade is still my Heaven's Thunder, it just went through a huge transformation."

"Then how does one achieve the last stages?" Jenny's curious eyes pleaded to be answered.

"It really depends, for example, the silver gauge only requires the memories of past victories; whereas gold requires the blood of a powerful foe during battle, and finally, crimson requires the courage to stand up to anything in your way and to fight with the blade as your equal." The answer I gave to Jenny seemed to be enough to satisfy her.

"However," Raito quickly cuts in. "Not all longswords go down the crimson path."

"Oh, that's right, Raito's Arashi has a different process." As I said this, I could already sense Jenny's curiosity.

"Yes it does, it the same for Silver-Gauge, but instead of gold and crimson, mine goes through sapphire and violet. Sapphire requires me to get injured during a battle, or protecting an ally from danger." Raito said with no hesitation or errors.

"Yes, and violet, which is the final stage, requires a rather weird emotion; love to be exact." I finished for him.

Raito nodded. "Correct, the very feeling of love for staying in battle and protecting others; that is what feeds the final stage of defensive spirits."

Jenny decided to put the final nail in the coffin. "Well, that's cool and all, but what would Gelidus be?"

Raito and I looked at each other before responding in unison. "We don't know."

"Huh?" Jenny – along with a few others – looked at us with a dumbfounded face.

I decided to clear things up. "It all happens in the heat of the battle, I have little to no choice as to what form it'll take – all I can really do is bond with it and strengthen our spirit link."

"Ugh, all of this gives me a headache," Jenny muttered as she crossed her arms and pouted slightly. "This is why I prefer the hammer, it way more simple and powerful."

We laughed and continued to chat or joke lightly about my match, but soon we had to go and decided to head back to the villa.

 _…_

Upon reaching the villa; the sun was already setting and we headed inside.

"How about we call it a day?" Lucas offers as we stood at the stairway.

"Why not." Aegis agrees with a yawn. "I'm heading to my room, night." He started heading up the stairs.

Everyone followed after Aegis and we all went to our respective rooms, except for Raito who asked me if he could talk to me in private for a bit.

"Good night everyone," I say out loud as Raito entered my room.

"Night." Everyone responded in unison, before the sound of doors closing filled the halls.

I lit a small candle before following the swordmaster to the table. "I'm incredibly tired..." I yawn lightly.

"Yea, I can tell; sorry I'm delaying your sleep," Raito said as he sat down.

I reassured him it was okay. "So, what did you want to speak about?" Momo had jumped on the bed and curl up in a ball, which made me yawn again.

"You used a lot of energy, are you feeling alright?" Raito was concerned for my health it seems.

"Yea, just very exhausted..." I laid my face on the table – luckily, the wood was cold and made me even more sleepy.

Raito seemed to hesitate to keep talking. "Yea, you should just get some sleep; we'll pick up the topic another time." He got up and helped me get over to bed.

"Wait, I haven't even showered," I complained.

Raito chuckled. "You can barely stand up, the last thing we need is you drowning in the bathtub."

"You can always help," That last bit made Raito blush slightly, however, Ryoku didn't register what she had said.

 _'Without a doubt, she needs some sleep.'_ I took off her coat, and armor leggings, allowing her to get comfortable in the bed; before she fell asleep. _'Hmm, I should had gotten Jenny, she would had changed her clothes regardless of the situation.'_

I quietly step out of her room and headed over to mine before anyone else saw me. _'Man, why did she have to bring up the word, love...'_ I shut the door to my room and decided to just sleep my worries away.

* * *

 **AN:** Alright, I know, too many fight scenes in a row - don't worry, they're stopping for now!

Anyways, Blizzard's skill list actually makes sense now, don't they! Gelidus does indeed summon an icy field, cold enough to activate the full effect of coldblooded, and well, the reason why she has the skill Focus, makes a bit more sense now that she can summon a makeshift bow. (It also helps the spirit gauge, but that is a rather uncommon way to use Focus in the actual game series.)

Well, that's about it for now, see ya in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6: Lunar Festival

**AN: A rather short chapter this time, but I'm pretty okay with how it ended up!**

 **Disclaimer: In no way do I claim the Monster Hunter Series as my own, only the plot of this story is mine - everything else goes to their rightful owners.**

* * *

I wake up to the sound of birds chirping outside. A small yawn escapes my mouth as I stretched my body

"No fighting, no chasing bandits and no walking around town all day..." I let my body sink back into the bed as I looked at the ceiling. "How boring..." I let out an audible sigh upon realizing that today would be a normal one.

I recall the events that happened yesterday, including the idea of blessing Gelidus today. _'It'll be best to start now and finish tonight then.'_ I encourage myself to get out of bed and prepare for the day.

Before I head out, someone knocked on the door. "Who is it?" I call out as I walk to the wooden frame.

"It's just me, Jenny." I hear the blonde from the other side.

I open the door and greet the young lady. "What can I do for you?" I ask her politely as I observe her, she was currently looking down at her feet and was holding something behind her back.

"Um, well, I was wondering," She glanced up and met my eyes before shying away. "If you would like to practice with me for archery."

At first, I had a blank stare, but I could feel a smile tugging the edges of my lip. "Sorry, Jenny, but I promised to bless Gelidus today; how about tomorrow?" I offer.

"Oh! I had completely forgotten! Ugh, that's kinda embarrassing." Jenny's reveals the wooden bow we built together.

"So how about it?" I remind her once more.

"Huh? Oh right, sure I would love to practice tomorrow; I'll be practicing today alone then." Jenny said with a brave smile.

"It's a promise then." I hold my hand in front of her, which she grabs with a smile.

"Promise made then!" Jenny says with a small giggle.

"Let's go get something to eat then." I gesture towards the hall and we start walking together.

 ** _..._**

"Astonishing, Lady Ryoku! The entire kingdom is impressed by your outstanding performance against Akio, the local newspaper is making sure to spread the word." Richard complimented me as everyone ate at the dining table.

"Oh, it was really nothing. Any of my allies would be able to pull off such feats,"I look down at my lap as I clutched my hands together.

"Aw, she is so cute! I love her little modest attitude and when she blushes it makes my heart go wild!" Rose started teasing me.

"Mother..." Lucas was groaning in embarrassment as he hid his face.

"I have never seen you so red, Ryoku," Raito told me with venom evident in his voice.

"Traitor..."I say in a low tone so only he can hear. _'All of you are traitors!'_ I curse inwardly at the position I was currently placed in.

"Now, now everyone."Aegis started talking.

 _'Aegis! You really will save me!'_ I cheered in my mind as my hopes started rising.

"We all know that Blizzy was truly amazing, no matter what she says; we can all agree to that."He says with a smirk, as everyone started laughing.

 _'W-Why!?'_ My face most likely went pale as I sank back into my seat.

I was soon able to escape the inferno that was the household of Heart; but as I was going outside of the villa, a male voice called out my name.

"May I ask where you're going, Lady Ryoku."

"I plan on meditating." I turn around as I see Raito leaning on a statue.

"I would like to accompany you then,"

"Nonsense, I prefer to be alone," I respond back as I start walking.

"Hey now, I would be disobeying my cause if I didn't keep an eye out for you." Raito voiced out as his armor clank closely behind me.

I stop and turn to look at him. "You said you would follow my orders, correct?" I ask him.

"Of course!" He says with a determined look.

"Grab the bow I crafted and find Jenny, then practice with her," I order Raito while staring him right in the eyes.

"Practice? I only know the basics..." Raito gave me a goofy smile. "Plus, how do I find your bow?"

"You were able to sneak through the window and rob my Heaven's Thunder, so I can only assume Momo helped you find it, which means she can help you find the bow, plus, both of you can practice said basics and improve."

"Ah, I see... Very well, I shall carry out the order." Raito turns and starts walking back towards the villa.

 _'I know very well that Jenny doesn't enjoy being alone.'_ I walk in the opposite direction in silence...

After a few minutes of wondering through the forest, my mind started thinking of the recent past.

"I wonder how Akio is faring, I did injure him greatly," I muttered to myself, as I looked upwards towards the sky.

 _'Hurting another being like myself isn't exactly something I enjoy,'_ A flashback appears and I remembered a tale about a female assassin with white hair and a wicked smile.

Guilt suddenly starts swelling up inside me and my heart feels heavy; as I remembered using my smile against Akio in order to have a higher chance of winning.

 _'Did it get quiet or did I zone out too much..?'_ I look around my surroundings and the singing of birds disappeared; a shiver is sent through my spine and I felt. _'Why do I feel cold?'_

I look down at my waist and see a fully awaken Gelidus. "What?" I unsheathe it from my waist and observe the weapon that's now in silver form – snowflakes gently starting to fall around me.

 _'If Gelidus has the power to cause me to feel cold, I can't imagine what it would do a normal person, no wonder any signs of life left instantly,'_ Upon clearing my mind and controlling my emotions, the blade went back to its slumber. _'It probably got awaken due to my inability to control the ice element fully.'_

I decided to keep walking in silence after that small event.

It was till I reached a certain area that I have seen before – in fact, it was a night when Raito and I went exploring for a bit when we first arrived.  
The field was still covered in snow, and the same ancient boulder was still at the center with the castle in full view across the shoreline.

"This will do." I walked over to the large rock and jumped on top of it.

After I sat down and placed Gelidus on my lap, I closed my eyes and took long deep breaths.

A lot has happened in the course of six years, from the start of my journey to the death of my brother – and finally, the day I met everyone at the guild. There were many moments of regret, sorrow, and hardships – but, there was always moments of happiness to balance things out.

I never actually dreamed of ever getting this far in my career, in fact, I was expecting myself to perish before my Brother did; especially since I was the weaker one of the two. Then again, I owe it all to him for living this long; so in a way, Storm – my dear brother – has always been there for me till the very end.

A chill went down my spine, causing my eyes to open up. "Huh, how odd..." I watched as snowflakes gently blew around me, Gelidus was awakened once more; responding to my emotions by summoning a gentle snowstorm.

"The actions Gelidus do are due to my emotions then – not just my stamina." I talked to myself for no particular reason.

Unlike before, I didn't try putting my sword back into its slumber, the gentle cold breeze was enough to relax my mind and help me meditate properly.  
It wasn't long till I lost track of time, listening to the gentle melody of nature. Ever since the day I was challenged by Akio, not once did I have the time for myself – sure I would rest and be with my friends all day, and I really don't mind the attention, however, sometimes I just prefer to be alone so I can collect my thoughts and solve any recent problems.

 ** _..._**

I opened my eyes once more, and notice that the sun was now directly above me. _'Besides, even if I do spend some time alone – I'm never truly lonely, I have a lot of memories to keep me company and my friends waiting for my return.'_

Memories of certain swordmaster appeared in my head. _'And as much as I hate to admit it, Raito has been a very important pillar of support in my life – I owe him more than what he owes me.'_ I couldn't help but giggle to myself as I remember all the times we fought over something silly – and poked fun at each other constantly.

"He showed me how to accept myself..." I muttered quietly as a snowflake landed softly on my palm.

That's right, there was a time Raito and I were stuck in a cave – in order to avoid a snowstorm.

 _Flashback_

Raito was pacing back and forth in the cave, concern was overflowing in his eyes. "I knew we shouldn't have gone out here at night,"

"Calm down, the storm will pass." I reminded him as I sat calmly on the frozen ground.

Raito's footsteps disappeared after I said this. "All this is clearly your fault, Ryoku."

"Hmm, yes, you're correct."

"This is exactly why you annoy me sometimes, you throw away your safety like it's nothing!" Raito raised his voice, the cave echoed his emotions.

I let out an annoyed sigh. "I never asked you to join me, neither did I ask you to scold me."

"I'm scolding you because I care for you, damn it! Can't you see that your life has a major impact on those around you? What would happen to all your friends back at the guild, the one you're so fond of talking about whenever you open up to me just a bit." Raito's voice grew a tiny bit louder.

"..." I couldn't respond to him.

"Exactly.., silence, you always do this to me – always leaving me in the dark. Look, I know I vowed to protect you, however, how can I do such a thing if I don't know you!"

"I don't want your protection..." I muttered back.

Raito opened his mouth a few times and closed it. After a few seconds of choosing the right words, he spoke with a soft tone. "This is exactly why I want to keep looking out for you because I know you're in a very dangerous state of mind – one that is thinking of committing suicide."

His words pierced my heart and made my stomach turn upside down. "R-Raito, I'm aware of that... Just please, don't remind me of it." I looked down at the ground as I hugged my knees.

It was till I heard his footsteps drawing near that I decided to hide my face between said knees. "Hey, now..." His voice pierced the cold dreadful silence of this cave.

I didn't dare respond to him, I felt terrible for treating him this way. "I'm sorry, Raito."

"No, we're both in the wrong; I was trying to force answers out of you." His hand slip into my personal space and lifted up my chin, causing my eyes to connect with his. "Just understand that your life, even if it's not important to you, has a significant impact on others – for example, your life is something impossible to replace in my eyes, and I couldn't bare see the world without you."

 _End of Flashback_

Those words managed to change me slightly, enough to make me accept Raito as a friend, and soon enough; I recovered from my ill minded state.

 _'I remember thinking that the world felt like it was underwater and that things were always out of my reach due to it...'_ Even if these thoughts were self-harming the majority of the times, it was always good to let my emotions fly every now and then, resolving things peacefully in my head.

My eyes notice a small boat in the distance, floating gently across the lake. _'Huh, this is the first time I see a boat here – wait, is it heading towards me?'_ Said boat was indeed inching closer to the shoreline that was near me.

A flag was waving due to the wind as it drew near, it had the symbol of the royal family; the same one the letter had when we got invited. _'How odd, maybe I should greet them.'_ I stood up and jumped off the boulder, the small snowstorm around me disappeared almost instantly as I started walking to the shoreline.

Now that I was on the sand – the man was waving at me – I responded by waving back at the man and waited for his arrival.

"Good day, Princess Blizzard. On behalf of King Kazan, this letter is being sent to the household residents of the Heart family." The knight bows before handing me the letter.

"How do you know my name?" I asked him kindly as I accepted the envelope.

The knight smiled. "Your match with Prince Akio and the newspaper says it all." He then excused himself and went back to boat – departing in mere seconds soon after doing so.

 _'This fame might be the end of me,'_ A sigh escaped my mouth and I decided to go under the shade of a tree before opening the letter.

 _'Greetings Mr. Heart and Mrs. Heart.  
Please let your guest know that we're inviting them to a celebration party for nobles and high ranking knights. We'll like to congratulate Lady Ishi'Ryoku and welcome her personal guards, and introduce them to those of high importance in the upcoming mission. This meeting shall be in one day from now when the moon is at its highest._

 _From: King Kazan Yamada.'_

"Interesting," I glance at the paper one more time. "A party for royals and nobles - but why did they pick midnight for the time of the meeting?" I decided to not think about it too much and started walking back to the villa.

 ** _..._**

"It's indeed a royal invitation," Rose said out loud once she was done reading it for us. "Richard dear, would you kindly take Lucas and his male friends to get dressed up properly."

Richard flinched after hearing this, knowing that what his wife said was more of a command and not a question. "Right now? But the party is tomorrow at midnight." Richard responded with hesitating eyes.

"Best to find the right outfit today and have an easier time tomorrow," Rose closed her eyes and gave Richard a smile.

This made Richard slightly panic. "You boys," He said with a sigh. "Take advantage of being single."

Aegis stood up and made way to follow him. "Guess we're going then, see ya later." The brunette waved his goodbye to Jenny and me, as Lucas and Raito left the room.

Once the men left, a laughter was heard; causing Jenny and me to turn to Rose. "Now that the boys are gone..." She proceeded to giggle to herself.

Jenny hugs my arm in fear. "Um, Liz, I'm scared..."

"So am I, Jenny," My eyes go wide as countless maids start pouring into the room with different dresses. "O-Oh, no."

Rose pointed at me while adjusting her glasses. "Blizzy dear, you're first!"

* * *

After leaving the villa, I couldn't help but grab the hilt of Arashi as I felt a bit uncomfortable with leaving Ryoku behind. _'Hopefully, this small shopping trip goes well,'_ Unlike the many other times we went to town, maybe this time we won't get into trouble.

"We'll be getting some proper suits for you three," Richard tells us as we followed him outside of the villa.

"May I ask the cost of such a thing?" I asked the landlord.

"Free! Trust me, it's on me; so don't worry about paying up." The old man reassures us with a smile.

"Ugh, thank Fatalis..." Aegis mumbles behind me. "I was worried I would literally be poor in less than a week."

"Aw, poor Aegis can't handle buying food for a girl." Lucas teases the so-called third in command.

"A girl!? She's a damn Deviljho reincarnated as a humanoid!" Aegis shouts with annoyance clearly in his voice.

 _'Man, these two don't ever stop discussing. I have no clue how Ryoku ignores them with ease.'_ I sigh as I decided to pick up the pace and walk next to Sir Richard.

"If you don't mind me asking, why would the kingdom go through the trouble of inviting barbarians such as us?" I told him with a straight face.

"Hmm... Well, you gave them hope and Hunters are known and respected as heroes here in Yselz, or at least in stories they are." The man responded with a smile.

"I see, then I must agree with them, Blizzard and her friends are truly heroes."

Richard raised an eyebrow to this. "Ah, so you're counting yourself out of this band of heroes..?"

"Me? I'm no hunter, I'm simply guarding Lady Ryoku." I answer him sincerely.

"Ah, Lady Ryoku?" A knowing smile appears on Richard's face.

"Indeed, she saved my entire village, I owe her the life of so many, for that reason I been guarding her with my life until she retires."

"Heh, you're a good lad," The old man chuckles. "But, surely there must be some other emotion lurking in there – Blizzard isn't just a simple maiden who requires protection."

Memories of the time I felt a huge conflict in my heart, appears in my head. "I don't want such emotions clouding my mind at the very moment, this journey is very important – the last thing we need is something questionable as 'love' getting in the way."

Richard laughed and simply shrugged in response. "One doesn't pick when they fall in love," And with that, the old inventor went silent as he walked up ahead.

 _'I'm not some sort of young teen, I'm very aware of it – I just don't want to express my emotions to her.'_ My hand naturally tighten the grip on Arashi's hilt.

 ** _…_**

After getting our suits we started heading back to the villa in order to meet up with the girls, it was already dusk fall and owls could be heard on our way back through the woods.

However, on our way there, we heard a scream.

"What was that!?" I yell in shock.

"Hurry!" Aegis starts running to the villa and we follow behind.

We were gasping for air as we stood in front of the villa's door. "I'm t-too old for this..." Richard said behind us as he caught up.

"Careful dad," Lucas voiced out his concern.

"I'll get close to the door..."I grab the hilt of Arashi and start walking slowly.

Suddenly the door opens and a platinum hair angel runs out the door almost in tears. "R-Raito h-help!" Blizzy who was in a sleeveless one-piece white dress; was now running and taking cover behind me.

"Right!" I cover her with one arm and activated Arashi element.

The night was being illuminated by the electrical currents protecting us, as I narrowed my eyes and waited patiently for my enemy to show up.

"Blizzy you can run, but you can't hide forever!" An evil laughter was heard from inside the building.

"R-Raito, don't hurt her," Ryoku told me with a shaky tone.

"Her?" I responded a bit confused.

"Cease fire, young lad," Richard shouts from behind.

I concentrate and send a small and harmless spark of light into the entrance. Lady Rose had her eyes closed and a huge smile on her face as she held two dresses.

"I found you Ryoku!" She leaps outside and starts chasing Blizzard around the courtyard.

"MAKE HER STOP!"

"Come back here!"

We all sigh in relief and start chuckling as I command Arashi to slumber once more.

"Thank goodness it just Lady Rose." Aegis voiced out.

"JUST LADY ROSE?! SHE'S A DEMON!"Another voice shouts from the entrance.

We all turn and see a blushing Jenny; who was wearing a mini skirt and a yellow color blouse with flats.

I shrug and turn to see Aegis and Lucas barely controlling their laughter.

"Um Sir Richard, we should help." I point at a horrified Ryoku who had climbed a tree in order to escape Rose.

"Ahem, yes very well..." He takes a deep breath. "Love! Leave the poor girl alone!"

* * *

After that dreadful night – which by the way, I made sure to promise myself to never ever be alone with Rose ever again – the next day was rather normal for the entire time there was daylight.  
I luckily kept my promise with Jenny, who asked me to practice some archery for the little time we had in the morning. Jenny's form was much better than the last time I observed her, so it did fill me up with some pride and made me proud of her.

However, it was around sunset that things started to slow down; in other words, everyone was waiting in the living room next to the fireplace.

This type of boredom easily broke Jenny. "Ugh! Please just make time fly faster!" She groans loudly as she used my shoulder to lean her head on.

The small room had two sofas, and single chair – Lucas and Aegis were sitting next to each other on one of the sofas, while Raito sat on the chair; leaving Jenny and me on the extra sofa.  
Lucas decided to take a small nap, while Aegis was reading a book and by the looks of it; Raito was meditating.

"Just hang in there, Jenny," I muttered softly.

"Can't we just keep practicing," Jenny was referring to some archery.

"Rose would most likely get very angry at us if we ruin these dresses,"

My current dress was a very simple one, for it was a sleeveless white one-piece dress that went down to my knees, while also wearing knee high white stockings with black boots. I did warn Rose that I wouldn't be cold, but she didn't listen. _'At least they cover some of my scars.'_ I could already see some of them on my naked arms.

Jenny was wearing a casual black style dress with short heels, which astonishing enough, fit her very well. "Blizzy, are you listening?" Jenny poked my cheek with her fingertip.

"Oh, sorry, I was daydreaming; what did you say?"

Jenny proceeded to give me the doll-eyes treatment. "I said that we can be extra careful."

A sigh escapes my lips. "Only until sunset," Upon seeing Jenny's eyes lit up and her nodding in agreement, I looked over to Aegis who was still reading. "Aegis, want to come with us?" I asked him quietly, in order to not wake Lucas up.

"Huh?" His eyes met mine before he fully registered what I said. "Oh, sure, I can spectate."

My eyes shift to where Raito was sitting. _'I wonder if he's asleep or really just meditating,'_ I asked myself as I saw his eyes closed – I ultimately decided to sneak up to the man and put my face close to his nose.

It wasn't long till Raito opened his eyes and stared right into mine. "It's rude to stare, Milady."

"I was just checking if you were truly awake," I stood up properly and brought my face away from his as I said this. "Would you like to join us?"

The swordmaster points with a thumb at the sleeping dual-blade user. "Sorry to disappoint, but I would be accompanying Lucas, I wouldn't want him to panic if he woke up and saw everyone gone."

"Ah, so you do have a heart," I joked lightly.

Raito started grinning after hearing this. "Of course, my heart has always been large when it comes to you."

"Of course, how could I forget, you only care about my friends since it would make me sad if they got hurt," I replied a smirk.

Raito shook his head. "On the contrary, my fair maiden, I'm more afraid of you hurting me; physically, my heart, to be exact."

I felt a sudden light tug of my hair. "Can we go now?" Jenny said with a bored expression.

"If you need us, we'll be in front of the villa, Raito," I said as I started walking to the exit.

"Very well."

Jenny ran up ahead as we exit the household. "Luckily, I left my bow right here!" The blonde cheered as she grabbed the crafted weapon.

I notice that she was moving around too much with those small heels. "Careful, Jenny, you may trip if you keep running around like that."

"You worry too much!" She stops in front of a nearby tree and waits for Aegis and me.

Aegis decided to speak this time. "Staying on the stone road would be nice, I really don't want to dirty these clothes – Rose made it clear as crystal to stay clean."

All the guys were pretty much wearing the same thing; they wore black formal shoes, black pants and white shirts with black suits.

"Agree, I really rather not anger her," I voiced out with a shiver, as I remembered what she did to me when getting dressed up.

Jenny starts testing out the bow string. "I'm only going to shoot at this tree right in front of us, so don't worry about it."

Aegis caught my attention. "So you been teaching her the bow?"

"Yes, taught her the basics and the art of crafting one," I responded.

The brunette decided to poke fun of the Deviljho, who had a weapon. "I'm surprised Jenny actually learned something new,"

"I'll shoot at your head instead of this tree if you don't shut up," Jenny said as she shot a test arrow, which it sunk into the tree with a loud thump.

Aegis shrugs and goes over to said tree. "Fair enough, I'll pick the arrows up, just don't shoot at me."

 ** _..._**

We stood there, observing Jenny for a few hours until dusk fall arrived and it was far too dark for her to keep practicing. So it was now time to head back into the shelter of the villa.

"You're doing well, Jenny, " I complimented her as we stood in front of the door.

Jenny smiled with pride. "Thanks, I been giving it my all – so I train whenever I can."

Aegis opened the door and held it open for us. "Ladies first."

"Hey! I wonder if Lucas woke up," Jenny says this in a devious way.

"Jenny..." I warned her with narrowed eyes before she did anything rash.

The energetic blonde pouted. "I wasn't going to do anything!"

Before I could counter her argument, a male voice interrupted us. "Oh, you guys are back?" Lucas' voice was heard as we neared the living room.

"Hello, Lucas! How was your nap?" Jenny greets him as we entered.

"I feel a few years younger," The red-haired hunter said with a smile. "Ah, by the way, Mother said to stay indoors for now – we'll be leaving in a few hours."

Upon hearing this, Jenny let out a small groan. "Can we have dinner at least?"

Aegis answered her. "No, Jenny; we'll eat at the celebration party," The brunette repeated what Richard had told us during lunch.

"I can't wait that long! I'm going to die – !" Jenny was cut off when I flick her forehead. "Ow..." She started massaging herself as she pouted.

"I'm going to go take a light nap then, wake me up if you need me," I told them as I walked over to the sofa.

 ** _..._**

A distant voice was heard, calling out my name. "Hey, wake up already." I then felt a hand touch my shoulder as it shook me gently.

I let out a small groan, but my eyes fluttered open – only to see two gray eyes staring right back.

"Lucas..?"

Lucas smiled as he stood up. "Time to leave," He extends his hand to me. "I'll help you up."

I take his hand and got up. "Where are the others?"

"Already waiting outside, we're taking a boat in order to reach the castle." He quickly explains as we headed out of the villa.

However, upon going outside – no one was present. "Um, Lucas?" I voiced out my concern.

"I told them to go up ahead," He lights up a torch and starts walking down the small stair steps. "It would also give me a good opportunity to speak to you alone, Vice."

"Is that so..." I looked around, and couldn't help but notice my breath being condensed by the cold weather.

"Aye, I wanted to talk about this whole Yselz ordeal," We walk next to each other, down the forest trail. "Everything has been way too perfect recently, and it just keeps giving me bad vibes."

I raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, even if I already knew what he was talking about. "What do you mean?"

"For example, they gave Raito the permit; someone who isn't part of the guild, but knows the second in command of Dundorma's largest Guild. Next, they demand a group of four to join you – a very exact and precise number if I may add – not to mention, you know me, someone who can grant you easy access to normal needs; like shelter and food." Lucas had a solemn face as he said this, while his voice was obviously filled with concern.

I decided to remind him that the guild has always kept a very close eye on us.

"It doesn't matter, I still feel like this whole thing is staged as of now," Lucas responded.

I thought for a second before continuing the conversation. "Maybe that's why they elected me, as in, they knew we would have a much easier time in completing this quest when compared to others."

"That can be the case, but I still can't help it; constant worry fills my head and prevents me from sleeping peacefully at night – I just don't want anyone to get hurt." He let out a long sigh, which became a frosty breath in the cold arid night.

"As Hunters, we adapt to the situation and turn the worse into the best," I reassured him. "I won't let any harm bestow itself upon you and everyone else, for now, let's not worry too much and just wait out the storm."

Lucas nodded upon hearing this, and soon, his trademark smile appeared on his face. "Yea, you're right." A few seconds of silence allowed us to hear the crackling of the torch, and our light footsteps. "Sorry, are you cold?"

I shook my head as Lucas brought the torch a bit closer to me. "No, I'm alright."

"It's hard to imagine how you're not cold," Lucas chuckles as he looks up ahead. "Ah, look! We're almost there."

My eyes follow his gaze, a few lights – coming from torches – were visible up ahead, near the shoreline. "I apologize if speaking to me was worthless," I told Lucas as I saw our time was running out.

"Nonsense, you cleared up some of my doubts – I really needed someone to vent out on anyways." He kindly responded.

We didn't continue the topic any further after he said that, we decided it was best to focus on walking and get to the others before they started getting impatient.  
Everyone was there at the shoreline once we reached it, including Richard and Rose – who were wearing fancy clothing, or at the very least, Rose was; since Richard wore the same clothing the men did.

 _'It's kinda obvious who did the picking now,'_ I smiled to myself.

Rose was wearing a simple red dress, which matched the color of her hair. "Ah, our lovely pair has finally arrived." She said once we were in hearing range.

Lucas was quick to apologize. "Sorry to keep everyone waiting,"

Richard coughed and caught everyone's attention. "Well, now that everyone is here, time to get on the ship."

The wooden vessel was large – but not as big as Syhr's Airship – it was waiting for us next to a wooden dock. Upon boarding the ship, a movement was felt and we were finally heading towards the castle.

I couldn't help but lean on one of the rails, observing the illuminated castle up ahead – the moon gave it a midnight shine, along with the many lights that were visible through the windows.

Footsteps were heard, ones of a young woman. "Looks beautiful, right?" Jenny said as she stood next to me.

"Indeed, I wonder what the future has in stored for us," I muttered out.

The blonde sighed. "I hope its food, cause I'm seriously starving out here,"

I laugh lightly. "That's right, we didn't even eat dinner, I guess hunger hasn't kicked in for me."

"Ugh, I envy you, I could eat an entire dragon-head right now if given the chance."

I shook my head with a smile. "Patience Jenny, this boat trip will only last a couple of minutes,"

"Those minutes seem forever when you're hungry!" She cried out.

"Geez, what a spoiled brat." Aegis' voice was heard as he approached us from behind.

Jenny didn't take this too kindly. "Want me to throw you off this boat?"

Before the brunette faced any further danger, he reached into his pockets and threw something at Jenny, who swiftly caught it. "There, eat that for now – it'll settle your hunger."

Upon closer inspection, I notice that it was a small snack bar; which Jenny was already opening up. "Ahem!" I got her attention and narrowed my eyes.

"... T-Thank you, Aegis." She muttered out.

Aegis leans on the rails and stares off into the distance. "Yea, no problem."

A shadow soon looms over us – causing me to look up – the castle was now drawing near. "Looks like we arrived."

 _ **...**_

Soon after we stepped off the vessel, we went up some staircases that were on the outskirts of the castle walls. Once we reached the top and entered a small outside corridor, two knights escorted us towards the Castle's ballroom, which was located at the very top of the entire building.

Once we reached said room, the inside was pretty lively, as it already had many people talking and dancing to the music being composed.

I felt someone tug my arm. "Liz," When I looked to see who it was, Jenny had desperate eyes and was pointing to a nearby table with a huge diversity of food. "It is taunting me."

"Are you really that hungry?" I said while staring at the mountain of food, waiting to be eaten.

"Yes, I beg of you," She was practically drooling.

Rose suddenly appeared between us, causing me to yelp in surprise. "Aw isn't she so cute! Let me get a table for us, then you can feast all you want."

As Rose left to go do what she said, Jenny started cheering to herself. "I take it back, she isn't a demon; she's a goddess!"

 _'More like she's a demon disguised as a divine being,'_ I felt a cold sweat drop down my neck.

Before I could continue that thought, Rose called out to us. "Over here!" She pointed to a table next to her.

Lucas was the first one to start walking towards his mother. "Let's go join her."

Jenny followed closely behind. "Finally food! Heavenly grace and beautiful food!" She practically yelled like a starving girl as she sped walk over to the table.

I noticed a few people staring at us. _'This is somewhat embarrassing...'_

"I really hope that by the ends of this, we don't leave an image of ungrateful barbarians in the mind of these people," Aegis muttered as he walked past me.

I laughed nervously. "I agree..."

* * *

It was around half an hour later since we arrived, everyone was having a good time for far – especially Jenny, who had mostly spent her time eating everything she could lay her hands on. Meanwhile, I tried their Yselian soup; which sadly didn't impress me, as for the guys, they had a couple of beers along with their food; luckily they weren't drunk... Yet.

"I think Prince Akio will be giving a speech soon," Rose said as the music started dying down, along with people leaving the dancefloor.

 _'Akio? I thought the king himself would give the speech, I guess Akio managed to recover in time.'_ I looked around the large ballroom.

The place consisted of two sectors, the first floor – where the majority of the residents were located – and the second floor, which seems to be reserved for the royal family and close friends; such as the dukes of the land. The room itself was at a decent temperature as well, since there was countless doors open around us, revealing a circular balcony that surrounded the tower we were currently in.  
I'm sure the place was colder than I thought, but usually, Jenny lets me know with her constant complaints – sadly, she was currently distracted with eating.

 _'Easily distracted like a small child.'_ I thought to myself as a small smile tugged at my lips.

Aegis decided to humor me. "Something caught your eye?"

"I'm just amazed at how much Jenny can belly," I answered the brunette.

"You're amazed? I'm horrified! Thank the heavens that this food is free, or else I would be spending my entire hunting career paying for it." Aegis let out a tired groan at the mention of Jenny's endless appetite.

Everyone at the table managed to hear his little complaint, causing them to laugh, Jenny, on the other hand, didn't care and kept eating with gusto.  
The music soon completely died down, and everyone started clapping for the composers and their lovely performance.

It wasn't long till a loud male voice was heard. "May I have everyone's attention!"

This seemed to cease the clapping. _'Ah, so Akio is indeed giving out a speech.'_ My eyes spotted the young Prince, who was in a similar outfit as every other guy in this place.

Everyone glanced up to where he was standing since he was on the second floor. "I would like to give a small speech before we continue this celebration party!"

Once everyone settled down, Akio decided it was time to continue. "First of all, I would like to thank everyone for coming here! And of course, special thanks to our guest of honor; a round of applause to our brave Hunters who have traveled far and wide to help us!"

The crowd did indeed cheer and clapped for us, which admittedly, made me feel a bit embarrassed.

"Now, before some of you get more confused, yes, they're indeed all Hunters – the very same ones in our books of legends and fairy tales," Akio turned his head a bit and stared directly at me.

 _'Great, he knows where I am,'_ I smiled nervously and gave the prince a small nod. _'Please, just leave me alone.'_

"Lady Ishi'Ryoku! Under the name of the Yamada family, it's a great honor for us to have you and your friends, here at the Yselian palace!" The Prince gestured with his hand towards our table, making it clear for everyone where I was.

I heard Rose whispering as a lot of people starting staring at our table. "Psst, Blizzy dear, stand up."

 _'This is exactly what I didn't want!'_ I screamed internally as I stood up, receiving a couple of cheers and applauses – and some annoying whistling. After a short bow, I sat right back down with my legs still shaking.

"Someone make this stop," I say in a low tone.

Raito – who was sitting next to me – pat my back. "Haha, it'll be fine."

Akio's voice boomed over the room once more.

"Now, before I finish! I will like to say one last thing, Hunters are to be respected and are above if not equal to the Black knights and their commander! If you see one at the streets, please only ask for their assistance if it's something drastic! None of us here are commoners, so I would like everyone to call them the White Knights; for very obvious reasons when considering the kingdom. Please spread the word and only tell the public that they are a new group of knights, consisted of many royals from different kingdoms!"

 _'I had almost forgotten this was a politic party,'_ I take a swig of my water before relaxing in my seat, luckily my legs were no longer feeling like a Najarala's rattle tail. _'And I'm sure that only the most trusted allies of the royal family are in this room.'_

"Without further ado! Enjoy the celebration, for we have found our heroes!" Everyone cheered and the music started playing once more.

I turn and face my friends as the speech was over. "That was interesting." Aegis was the first one to speak.

"Aye, I wasn't expecting to be dubbed as a White Knight," Raito says this to no one in particular.

"Um, I kinda don't want to be called a knight," Jenny said with a serious face.

"I agree," Aegis crosses his arms and sighs. "Changing my status of a Hunter is like changing my name."

Jenny backed him up. "Yea Aegis is right! I picked to be a Hunter cause I wanted to be one; if I wanted to be a knight, I would had chosen that job instead."

"Now, now,"Lucas speaks up quickly and calms the situation down. "Calling us knights is better in public, Yselian citizens only know about Hunters through legends and tales; imagine if they heard five of them were currently present."

"Ahem, four Hunters."Raito coughs but proceeds to speak. "Lucas is correct, we would get bombarded by jobs and requests, and other silly things."

"Ah, so avoiding public chaos... Clever, very clever indeed."Aegis seems to now understand the full picture.

"Ugh, fine... But only in public am I going to tolerate being called a ' _knight_ ', like geez Hunters are way cooler." Jenny grumbles.

"Everyone, we can discuss this back at the villa; right ?" I turn to look at Lucas' father.

Richard dropped what he was doing in order to help me calm them down. "Correct, I'll be more than willing to speak about the political matter of things."

"Excuse me, Lady Blizzard,"A voice I know too well is heard behind me. "May I have a word with you; in private."

I stand up and turned around. "Akio, it'll be an honor," I say a bit too bluntly.

The Prince smiles, before bowing lightly at our table and extending his hand towards me.

I look back at my friends, sending distress signals, but they sadly didn't catch on. _'I hope I don't regret this.'_ I take his hand and he leads me upstairs.

"Sorry to disturb you like this." Akio apologizes as we reach the balcony of the second floor.

"I don't mind, but may I ask what you need me for?"I look around, only to see that we are indeed completely alone out here.

"I would like to make a deal with you." He lets go of my hand and locks eyes with me. "A deal where we exchange information, to be exact."

"Information?"I tilt my head.

"Yes, Milady. Yselz is known as a capital of knowledge, this may be the first and final time I ever meet a Huntress so wise and beautiful."

A frown appears on my face. "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"Believe me, I was not doing such a thing."

"Fine, I'll bite the bait. What kind of information do you seek."

"Your smile." Akio grins.

My blood goes cold as I realize the error I did during our battle... _'He noticed it?'_

"My smile? Are you trying to flatter me again?" I ask the Prince, hoping that he was simply joking.

Akio shook his head with a knowing smile. "You know very well, what I'm referring to."

"May I ask how?" I narrowed my eyes.

Akio chuckled before responding. "How I knew? Yselz has countless books about Full-bloods and their unique abilities depending on their family line. Yours is no different; stamina thief." He explains swiftly.

"So if I told you about my ability, you would tell me how they work or why they appear?"

"Correct, I wish to exchange information; like I said, talking to a Huntress is a rare thing. I would like to see if our books are truly correct."

 _'I'm literally dancing with the devil right now...'_ I look out the balcony and take in the view, a view that only someone on top of a mountain can normally see.

I took a deep breath and let it out after a second or two. "It only works on humanoids, if it's a wyvern; the creature is unaffected by it," I explained to him once I gathered up the courage.

"Only humanoids? How odd... Why would your ability function solely to kill your kind." Akio leans on the balcony rails and ponders for a bit. "Tell me, where are you from?"

"Pokke, a village high up in the mountains. Usually inhabited by Popos and other fur coated creatures."

"Popos... A creature that usually gets attacked by Tigrex." His eyes lit up in realization. "Your ability would be wonderful against a Tigrex, but your ability doesn't work on wyverns, usually the abilities appear in order to protect the user from predators... At least that's how things should go."

"But how do they appear?" I deserved some answers now.

"Abilities are passed down by bloodline after an ancestor gained the ability, however, yours is a bit weak. Tell me, did you have a sibling?" Akio questions me.

My eyes most likely widen in shock as Akio started to speak again. "You don't have to tell me."

"No it's fine, I'm just shocked to know there's a book about this topic, but yes, I had a twin brother," I responded with a bit of hesitation.

Akio nodded and kept asking questions. "Ah, so the ability got divided into two, however, was your family made out of Hunters?"

I shook my head. "No, my family line has consisted of many teachers; who would use this ability to train others under harsh conditions or defeat them with ease if needed,"

"I see, then why didn't you keep using it during our match – you could had easily won with such an ability – at first I thought I simply fell for your charms; clearly, I was wrong." The Prince chuckled to himself upon recalling the recent memory.

"Because my so-called _'stamina thief'_ has a dark past, one that I wish to never repeat," I grabbed the rails of the balcony and stared at the moon.

"Mind telling me?"

I made sure to gather the correct words before speaking. "My Father had a sister, however, she was killed long before he met my mother. To be exact, my aunt was killed by my own father." I remembered the old tale Father told me a year before I left the village. "He didn't do this without a reason, for my aunt was an assassin – someone who would get paid for permanently getting rid of someone."

Akio let out an audible sigh. "We have many of those in Yselz, it always makes my blood boil when I hear one of my people has suddenly disappeared or got killed." The Prince had input his view, over the topic.

"Yes, my father felt that way as well, however, he knew who was killing said people; his sister used the same ability I have, in order to weaken her victims and kill them in cold blood."

"Alright, Blizzard," His voice brought me out of my trance. "You can stop now."

"Pardon?" I was a bit confused, but after he gestured towards my hands, I notice that I had an iron grip on the rails of the balcony.

After letting go, I gave him a small bow. "Is that all you need?" I wanted to excuse myself and leave.

Akio stopped me before I made a move towards the exit. "Well, I have one more question, can you control said ability with ease?"

"Only when I'm serious or truly happy," I somewhat lied, for I still have little control over it. _'Ah, that's right, my Aunt was able to summon the ability with ease; due to her sick enjoyment when it came to hearing innocent lives scream in agony.'_

I looked at Akio, who was taking in the information with a thoughtful expression. "Is that all?"

"For now, yes, as a sign of gratitude; how about I lend you some books about the origins of these abilities and other things Full-Bloods are known for," The Prince offered with a smile.

At first, I was going to reject his offer, but I then remembered Aegis, who adores books. "That would be very nice of you."

The music changed into a slow waltz, which Akio quickly took note of. "Ah, how about I ask one last favor – one between a man and women."

The Prince extended his hand towards me while slightly bowing. "Sorry, but I don't know how to dance." I quickly lied with zero hesitation in order to escape this situation.

 _'My father sadly taught me how to be a housewife, so dancing is something I knew how to do since a very young age – that old man, always saying that I had to find the right guy, and live old while following our bloodline's legacy of teaching others.' Unfortunately,_ the Prince didn't buy my excuse.

"Following my pace should be enough, besides, it would give us the perfect excuse to avoid any politicians and their annoying questions." Akio nudges his head to the side, making me notice a few unwanted spectators acting as if they weren't spying on us.

 _'Why is everyone out to annoy me tonight?!'_ With a sigh of defeat, I accepted his hand. "Only one song, I really don't want to drag this night any further."

Akio lead me to the dance floor – much to everyone's surprise and my discomfort – he proceeded to hold me close and grab my waist with one arm.

I was seriously not enjoying myself, which Akio noticed. "I know you're mad about this, but putting on a fake smile for the public eye would be ideal – showing a strong bond between the lead Huntress and the Prince will reassure people."

 _'Maybe I should jump off the balcony and hope the fall kills me.'_ I wrap my arms around his neck, allowing the Prince to grab my waist properly. "Next time we fight, I'm going to leave you on the verge of death," I said while putting on a fake smile.

"Aren't you the straightforward type," He chuckled.

 ** _..._**

The party went until dawn, so everyone was pretty tired out. Upon reaching the villa, everyone quietly entered their rooms and slept in for the rest of the day; only waking up for food - specifically Jenny, I have no clue how she can store so much food in her small body.

The next day – or rather, the same day of the midnight party after it was dawn – sadly went by without any important events, for everyone was simply far too tired to move out of their rooms.

* * *

 **AN:** See? Pretty short chapter, when compared to other ones at least.

Nothing of important should be pointed out by me for this chapter, and don't worry - the action scenes will make a return very soon, along with the actual Monsters; you know, the whole thing that makes Monster Hunter different? Yea, as of late, this story just seems like a Knight Fanfiction, haha!

Alright, see ya in the next chapter.


	7. Chapter 7: March Of The Heroes

**Disclaimer: In no way do I claim to own Monster Hunter, this is simply a fan made story, all content goes to their rightful owner.  
**

* * *

 **Raito's POV**

It was early in the morning, and the day after the midnight party. The sound of raindrops hitting the window of my room woke me, so I decided to get ready for the day and head out of my room. _'I wonder if anyone is awake...'_ As I lost myself in my own thoughts, I failed to notice a maid approaching me.

"Good morning sir," She greeted me, which caused me to flinch and look up in surprise. "Oh! My apologies, it wasn't my intention to scare you."

"No need to worry," I chuckled slightly before noticing an umbrella in her hand. "Are you going out?"

The maid nodded. "I must finish a couple of errands."

The hallway was semi-lit by the windows, but I could see how windy it was outside – apart from the rain pouring down – and thought it was best to distract myself by doing the thing I love the most. "Mind if I help?"

"H-Huh? Oh, no need for that-"

"Nonsense, how could a lady such as yourself go out there in such a bad weather..," I knew they were knights, but her dress and the current situation didn't mix well. "So I insist, let me help; plus I need the morning walk."

"Well, alright... I just need to head to the local market." The maid led the way, and it wasn't long till we were outside.

I watched the rain falling down. "No need to walk in the rain," I tap the hilt of Arashi, a pulse of electricity appeared for a bit before vanishing. "All done."

"Uh..?" The maid – who by the way, is also a knight in disguise if I remember correctly – simply looked at me in confusion.

As I step under the rain, instead of getting soaked, the rain drops avoided my frame. "Haha, sorry but we do a bit of cheating when it comes to facing mother nature," I said with a smile.

"I see, very impressive." She opens up her umbrella and led the way once more.

 _'Hopefully, this errand keeps things off my mind.'_ Memories of Ryoku dancing with the Prince filled my mind. _'Such a bothersome memory, and now that Sir Richard pointed it out, I can't stop thinking about her.'  
_

* * *

 **Blizzard's POV  
**

A loud rumble shook the entire room, causing me to wake up in a panic and gasp in surprise. _'What in the world..?'_ I glanced out the window and notice it was raining... _'Ah, a storm.'_

This calmed me down, but also took away my mood of staying in bed due to the sudden realization of being rather hungry. _'I have no clue how long I have been asleep actually, I'm pretty sure its a day after the midnight party.'_

With a sigh, I got out of bed and got into my usual clothing, opting to leave my Silver Los coat due to knowing that today, I will be indoors.

It wasn't long till I went out of my room and decided to head downstairs, into the living room, in hopes of finding someone awake. _'Maybe they can give me a sense of time since I have no idea myself.'  
_  
I spot Lucas sitting alone next to the fireplace and decide to join him. "Hello, Lucas." I greet him with a casual phrase since I was unsure of what time it was.

"Morning, Liz." Lucas looks up and smiles.

 _'Ah, so it's morning...'_ I tell myself before bringing up the fact that it was raining outside.

"Apparently it's been like that for a few hours now." He responded.

"What about the others?"

"Most likely asleep, that party went on longer than expected."

 _'Usually, I wouldn't stay up long for a party, but we were the guest of honor...'_ I think to myself as I take a seat.

"I see, guess today will just be another eventless day." I sigh and look out the window.

"Hmm... Want me to show you the villa's library?" Lucas suddenly asked me.

"Library?"

"This villa fairly large. In fact, so many rooms in here are rarely visited by the guest."

"Well, sure. Should we get Aegis?" I wouldn't want him to skip out on the chance of getting a new book. Who knows how long he stays locked up in his room.

"I'll go get him, just wait here." Lucas offered as he stood up and went upstairs.

I nod and wait patiently on the sofa, soon enough I completely zone out as I stare at the window.

A loud rumble is heard, most likely a thunderbolt successfully hitting the ground.  
The sound was loud enough to bring me back into reality and I decided to stand up and go upstairs.

 _'Lucas and Aegis are taking longer than expected...'_ As I walk through the hall, I hear footsteps that are rather fast compared to walking.

"Oh, hey Liz." Jenny appears into my view but she seemed a bit odd.

"Morning," I respond as a dark image appears before my eyes, one that says my friend who's currently in front of me; feels despair. _'I know the feeling all too well, I can sense it rather easily.'_

"I'm looking for the boys... We plan on visiting the villa's library, want to join us?" I offer her.

"Oh, sure." Jenny looks up with a small smile, but her eyes were dull and dark.

"Alright, I'll lead the way." I follow my instincts and hold her hand tightly as I led her down the hall.  
Jenny didn't say anything, following behind me quietly.

 _'We forget how young Jenny is... Sometimes it's important to treat her like a child, fragile but also grown up enough to not want to be reminded of her flaws.'_ A roar of a faraway thunderbolt is heard, causing Jenny to tighten her grip.

We soon reach the little section where my room was but kept walking a bit further in order to reach Aegis' room.

I knock on the door. "Aegis? It's me, Blizzy." I call out.

"It's open!" I hear a voice respond back.

I grab the door knob and head inside with Jenny still holding my hand in silence.

"Hey, sorry we're taking so long!" Aegis said as he was moving around looking for something.

"Aegis apparently _'lost'_ his book bag." Lucas gave light to the whole situation.

"No, I didn't lose it... I simply lost track of where I last left it."

"So you lost it." Lucas smiled.

"Ugh, just help me already."

"My, my..." Lucas shrugs before kneeling down and looking under the bed. "What a humble guest you are..."

I look around and spot a leather bag near the door entrance, between a little desk and the wall.  
"I think I found it." I voice out as I bend over and grab it.

"Unbelievable... It was there?!" Aegis rushes over and takes the bag from my hands, hugging it close to his chest. "You're a life saver, Liz."

"Well, let's head to the library already," Lucas said in a cheerful tone.

I feel a little bump and I turn my head a bit, Jenny seemed to be hiding behind me.

"Right! Lead the way, Lucas!" Aegis was excited for once.

The two males go up ahead and I follow them a few feet behind since Jenny was walking rather slow.

Lucas took us downstairs and then stood in front of an old looking door. He takes a small key out of his pocket and opens the old wooden door, revealing a staircase going down.

"The library is in the basement." Lucas gestures to go in before he does.

"Ah, so that's where everyone is going." Raito suddenly appears from almost out of nowhere.

"Hey, glad you can join us; I stop by your room but you didn't respond." Lucas greets him.

"I wasn't in my quarters, I was, in fact, helping with some outside chores; I didn't want the maids to get soaking wet," Raito explained.

This made me speak up in concern. "But wouldn't that mean you getting wet in the process?"

"Arashi can do more than just control electricity," Raito grins and starts walking down the staircase.

"Library of ancient history and new knowledge, here I come!" Aegis grins like a mad man before heading downstairs.

I head down right after him, the sound of raindrops and thunder soon vanished as we went deeper underground.  
As we reached the library, I notice that it was illuminated by Light crystals everywhere, the place was also enormous, most likely the same length of the entire villa up above.

"Whoa, this place looks amazing and mysterious!" Jenny was up and going soon after the sounds of the storm outside disappeared.

"Permission to live down here..." Aegis was practically drooling.

"Go nuts, the books here are so old and hardly ever get used. Everything here has been passed down from generation to generation down my father's family line."

 _'Ah that's right, Lucas' father is an inventor, I guess all of his records are stored here along with his ancestor's past projects.'_ I grab an old book on a nearby table, it was covered in dust but it had the title of "The concept of a potential bug partner."

 _'A book about kinsects before they were fully developed? How interesting...'_ I look for a chair and decide to give it a light read.

 ** _'Vol.1 The start of a new weapon; the Kinsect._**

We have created a new species, known as the Kinsect... After force breeding, many oversized beetles with the DNA of a Gore Magala and the frenzy virus, the creature has developed the ability to rapidly evolve upon devouring a vast amount of nectar.  
The creature tends to shed its scales constantly and go through a maturing process. Each is different depending on the nectar it was fed. This process would normally last a week, but both the rate of which it grows and the difference of its appearance is astonishing.  
Just like the Gore Magala, it has the ability to release scales into the air; however, these scales are normally invisible to the naked eye. At least normally this would be the case, but if the Kinsect latched onto a monster and absorbed its essence; the scales would change into four different colors depending on the location it leeched itself on.

Red: Gives similar effects that a Might seed would give.

Orange: Similar effects that an Adamant seed would provide.

White: This essence allows the muscles to push itself beyond normal limits, increasing speed and jumping abilities – such an increase of blood and energy being used must be furthered studied.

 _ **Note:**_ The white essence has the ability to supplement itself with the previous two essences, giving them additional effects. An example, increase focus with the Red essence and the ability to ignore minor pain when paired up with the Orange essence.

Green: The essence increases the blood flow and the distribution of water throughout the body, healing wounds of the first-grade tier, minor cuts, bruises, etc.

These scales float around its master and just like the frenzy virus, the user gets infected with the essences; successfully gaining the effects of each corresponding color.

In other words, we had managed to completely change the effects of the Frenzy but still maintained very similar properties. An example would be, that when White, Orange, and Red is combined, the user goes into a state that is very similar to Apex mode (The effect that happens when someone overcomes the Frenzy).  
Not only do they gain an immunity to the Kinsect's enchantment, time wise – excluding green seeing how our testers can still receive its benefits – the effects are drastically increased on all colors and stays that way for a certain amount of time.

As soon as the user leaves this Apex state, they can get all the benefits of every essence once more. However, trying to get the essence during the Apex state doesn't increase the time the user will stay in, it only gives a smaller increase of strength if the Kinsect is trained to do so, more strength, focus on vision, maybe even more resilience.

 **-Further research is needed.-**

 **End of Vol.1'**

"Wow... I'm impressed they discovered all of this back then," I muttered as I admired the book a bit longer; ultimately closing it.

"Hey Liz, they have a book about hammers!" Jenny yells cheerfully as she runs up to me, almost tripping on a couple of rogue books on the ground but catches herself swiftly.

"That's nice."

"Yup! It explains how you can build one properly and how I can improve my own hammer when crafting one." Jenny starts talking happily about her find.

"Hey guys, come look at this." Raito appears and says with a solemn face.

 _'Hmm, guess they found something interesting?'_ I stood up and started walking down the aisle Raito disappeared into.

It soon revealed a small sector with a table at the center; Lucas, Raito, and Aegis were looking at said table, observing a large map that was on top of it.

"Whats up?" Jenny spoke up first as we approached the group.

"This map, it says where Xil is..." Aegis responds softly as he traced the map with his fingertip.

 _'Xil? The kingdom that was destroyed by the local monsters..?'_ I walk closer to the map and see it for myself...

The map showcased a large region consisted of mountains, Yselz was at the center. Xil was a place marked with a red cross up north of Yselz and consisted of a Kingdom that rested around a large bay.

"It's not that far..." Lucas' voice draws everyone's attention away from the map.

"Yea, maybe two days of marching, four days at most," Aegis concluded as he observed the layout closely.

"Wait, we're going to walk there?" Jenny gulps at the mention of walking a long distance.

"Depends... Flying wyverns love flying around the mountains around Yselz, mostly because the center is filled with delicious prey." Lucas was referring to the Yselians.

"I'm sorry for pulling everyone into this mess." I felt guilty for bringing everyone to such a large scale mission like this one.

"Huh? Don't be silly, if I didn't want to be here; I would have left a long time ago." Aegis responded with a confident grin.

"And lose out on the opportunity to become a legend? Sorry, but I'm going to finish this story, and it is going to be a happy ending!" Jenny cheers loudly and her voice was filled with pride.

"Helping my hometown and neighbors... Becoming a true hunter... It has always been my dream, there no way I would miss out on such an opportunity." Lucas had a shine in his eyes, one that yelled determination.

"After experiencing hardships, fighting against devastating creatures, all while being alongside you... I'm helping you till the very end." Raito resolve was unshakable.

"Right... Thank you everyone, but let us head upstairs; I'm sure everyone is hungry." As I finish my sentence, a growl was heard. I look next to me, spotting a Jenny who was getting redder and redder by the second.

"Y-Yea, let us head upstairs!" She dashes the completely wrong way as we start to chuckle.

"Hey, blondy! You're going the wrong way." Aegis shouts as he leads us upstairs.

And so, we had a general idea of where our job would take place; we just needed the Royal family to confirm when we would depart... When we headed upstairs, the rain had subsided and we ate happily, especially jenny.  
The rest of the day was everyone practicing and getting back into shape. I spent my evening helping Jenny improve her archery, and soon enough, it was night time; ultimately ending the day by welcoming the land of dreams.

* * *

 **The next day -** **Blizzard's POV**

I wake up in a cold sweat and start gasping lightly as if I awoke from a nightmare. "How odd..." I rub my left arm slightly as if my body was cold, yet I didn't remember why.

I decided to ignore the surprising experience and get ready for the day.

I head down to the dining room. "Morning,"

"Good morning." Everyone responded back in a casual tone.

 _'Guess I woke up late again.'_ I sigh inwardly as I take a seat next to Jenny who was already eating her meal with gusto.

I let out a small yawn, but I was quick to cover my mouth as a maid served my food.

"Didn't sleep well?" Rose ask me with a concerned look.

"I really don't know," I responded in a sincere tone. "I woke up a bit tired and felt uneasy."

The room went a bit quiet as everyone looked at me, eyes filled with worry.

"Oh! But I'm fine, it was just a nightmare that I have already forgotten about," I try to dismiss their concerns, it seemed to work for a few, but Jenny and Raito kept lingering their glare for a few seconds before looking away.

Usually, dreams are believed to foretell omens, at least from the books of old; they have taught us such sayings. They shouldn't worry because as of now, I have no idea what I dreamed about.

"Ah, Lady Ryoku; I received a letter earlier this morning." Richard draws my attention.

"A letter?"

"Indeed, the writer was Akio and by the sounds of it, he intends to visit us today."

 _'Most likely for our next plan of movement.'_ I think to myself as I nod and thank Richard for notifying me.

"What shall we do then?" Aegis spoke from across the table.

"We'll prepare for now, I assume that today will be the day we start moving," I told this to everyone at the table.

This was enough to set a few into action, most specifically the boys; while Jenny took her time to finish eating.

I decided to eat a bit faster than normal, in order to go upstairs and get my equipment.

…

Reaching my room, I enter swiftly and start my errands by locating my weapon; which I spot easily. I then resume my actions by putting on my armor leggings and Silver Rathalos coat, both of which have protected me for a long time now.

Before I head out, I debate whether or not I should bring my brown coat that I bought at Dundorma with Jenny.  
 _'It wouldn't hurt to bring an extra set of clothing just in case.'_ Different – unlikely to happen – scenarios appear in my head as I grab the cloth and head out.

Walking down the hallway, a figure at the corner of my eye catches my attention; forcing me to look out the window.  
Sure enough, I spot Akio and Yuki; along with a few knights, walking towards the villa.

 _'Time to hurry downstairs.'_ I start moving faster towards my destination.

Sure enough, I soon hear a maid welcoming the Royals followed by Richard and Rose.

"Please, it's an honor to visit the Great Villa of the Heart family," Akio responded to the hospitality he was receiving.

Akio spots me and does a light nod towards me, causing everyone to look my way as I step down the stairs.

"Greetings, Prince Akio and Princess Yuki." I try to be polite.

"No need for titles." Yuki smiles.

"My sister is right, we are here as equals; comrades in arms, for today we have a similar goal." Akio finished Yuki's sentence. "One we must discuss at this very moment."

"We should all sit in the living room then." Rose clasp her hands together, causing a few maids to scramble into action.

As the Heart family and Yamada family walked into the room, I hear footsteps behind me; which caused me to turn, all my friends finally showed up in their respective armor.

"Hey, did the Royal family arrive?" Lucas asks me in a low tone.

"Yea, they just entered the living room."

"Well, let us go join them." He smiled and went in first.

The maids had brought extra chairs for everyone, so luckily we settled down right into business.

"We are requesting the Hunters to join us in a scouting mission." Yuki was the first to speak.

"Scouting mission?" Aegis was telling her to spit more details.

"Yes... A scouting mission towards the outside borders where the Kingdom of Xil resided."

 _'Resided... She using a past tense, so the place really is gone.'_ I observe the conversation quietly, usually, Aegis and Lucas do all the paperwork and negotiating.

"Ah, so this means Yamada's Household would be paying for this trip," Lucas smirked.

"Is that the deal you want?"Akio narrowed his eyes towards Lucas.

"No. We also want men, I refuse to let my friends go out there alone." Lucas said with a serious tone.

"How many are we talking about?" Yuki countered.

This time, Aegis spoke up swiftly. "Fifty men, counting us five and no less." Aegis didn't even blink as he said this.

The room went silent, as shock grew evident on Yuki's face. "F-fifty? Surely that seems a bit excessive." She responded a bit shaky at the start.

 _'I had almost forgotten that Yselz isn't exactly our friends, why would they lend their soldiers to us.'_ I look over to Akio who was pondering but was getting ready to speak.

"Forty, take it or leave it," Akio said sharply.

I look over to Aegis who had a grin on his face. "Deal." He responded.

 _'Ah, aim high and they lower the amount to what you originally want.'_ I let myself smile inwardly for I have almost forgotten how efficient us Hunters are with certain _'deals'_.

The men shake on the newly founded deal, with eye witness all around.

"So when do we depart?" Lucas started up the conversation again.

"Today." The royals speak in unison.

None of us dare to speak for a few seconds – letting the initial shock go down – we did expect this at least, so I spoke up after a second or so.

"When the sun is at its highest peak, correct?"

"You are correct, Lady Ryoku," Akio responded. "I would like time to prepare the soldiers, which would be ten Kingdom Knights, fifth teen wall Knights, and ten Black Knights."

 _'And the remaining five is my group...'_ I nod in agreement.

"The captains will also be included in these groups. This will be a total of forty soldiers when adding your group, lady Ryoku." Yuki took out a paper scroll and handed it over to me.

"A contract?" I mutter as I read the piece of paper, explaining how my permission was needed. "Is everyone in agreement?" I ask my friends who responded with nods of approval.

I wait for any final words, but upon being greeted with silence; I sign the paper.

After handing over the contract to Akio, he speaks up. "Very well, we shall get our men and move out right away." Akio received the newly sign contract from my hands and stood up.

"We'll be waiting patiently," I say my goodbyes for now, and both Yamadas leave with their guards.

We all waited for them to leave the house, once they did, Jenny cheered in excitement.

"Finally some action!" Jenny winks while fist pumping the air.

"My energy is off the charts that for sure!" Lucas shouts along with her.

"Hey Liz, do you recall what the contract said?" Aegis approached me.

"It was just asking for my permission, in order to make the first movement in saving Xil territory."

"Ah, just making sure; wouldn't want to be selling our bodies to Yselz," Aegis said with dark humor.

"I still don't fully trust them... But getting this job over with will provide us with retirement money," I responded.

"Ah, so you plan on retiring for real."

"Of course I do, my body no longer keeps up with my mind. I know my limits, and it is time to stop."

"I understand, just know that we shall all miss you when you're gone." Aegis pats my shoulder before focusing on the task ahead of us, which was making last preparations.

 _'Right, I may retire after this; but first I have to live.'_ A determined look on my face appeared for once and I was feeling alive once more, a sense of excitement but at the same time being slightly nervous.

 _…_

The hour went by quickly, soon the villa was visited by an army of Knights; all wearing different coloration of armors.

Akio asked us to step forward and greet the Knights.

"Brothers and sisters, these five brave Hunters will be the leaders of this expedition; their orders are law, anyone who disobeys will be sent to prison," Akio yelled in a commanding tone.

The knights all cheered, showing their undying loyalty to Akio's words.

"You heard him! Now, everyone moves out towards the north gate plaza; we're leaving Yselz territory!" Yuki gave her command and the knights started marching, in their separate groups.

I start counting the soldiers, while also counting their leaders. _'Wait, someone is missing; Zaleo isn't here.'_ I realized that we were one man short.

"Akio," I grab the Prince's attention since I was appointed to Akio's group along with Yuki. "We seem to be missing the leader of the Wall Knights."

"Ah, don't worry; he is waiting for us at the north gate," Akio reassured me.

 _'Ah, I almost felt betrayed... Even if one man is missing, that could lead to failure in an instant.'_ I calm myself down and focus on the journey ahead of us.

Many townsfolk stood on the sidewalk as we marched through, claps and cheers were heard; most likely from the information already spreading throughout the public.

Around half way, we reached a plaza where large wooden wagons were waiting for us.

"We'll be making a public announcement, the Yselians want to see the merciful Princess that came to save them," Akio smirked.

 _'Princess!?'_ I shout inwardly, for the politics never gave me the choice.

"Being called Hunters, will only call upon chaos, we decided to mask your identification, your friends are going to be known as the royal guards," Yuki said in a low tone as she led me to a stage.

"Why would I ever be called a Princess." I was pretty angry at this point.

"You have the looks at the very least, and Royals around these parts are used as born generals." Akio pushed me lightly onto the stage, in front of people already gathering around us.

"What do I say then?" I said as a migraine was starting to grow.

"Heroic stuff, trust me; you'll find something out once I speak to them first."

I stood behind the two siblings, as a pair of black knights stood on both of my sides.

"People of Yselz, I know that news has reached your ears about Xil... I'm afraid to say that the rumors are true, our alliance with Xil is no longer true; for they have fallen against the monsters."

The people gasp and start muttering, but Akio soon diminishes the growing panic by speaking louder.

"For this reason, we have sought help from other kingdoms; at first we were rejected, but a merciful Princess from a far-away kingdom responded to our pleas!"

The crowd went silent and countless eyes started staring at me. "We have brought said Princess here, along with her royal guards. I'm sure many of you saw how talented she was in our exhibition match, a couple of days back!" Akio finished this sentence and the siblings moved out of my front view, giving the crowd full vision of my presences.

They started clapping and cheering, so I responded by waving in a polite manner...

 _'I have no clue what am doing..!'_ I was starting to get nervous, but Akio luckily saved me by speaking once more.

"Introducing Princess Ishi'Ryoku, helping us in this campaign in order to avenge our fallen comrades of Xil," Akio said loudly.

A few stride voices were yelling something along the lines of _'prove her royalty'_ , others were cheering and were grateful.

 _'Mix feelings among the crowd...'_ My heart was in my throat, but Yuki swiftly approached me.

"Summon your element." She whispers as she walks past me and leaves the stage.

 **-Flash back.-**

"Only Royals are known to use elements in this part, so please never use your element in the public eye," Lucas warned us as we headed to the armory shop.

 **-End of Flash back.-**

"Here goes nothing..." I say under my breath as I unsheathe Galidus.

The crowd were shocked at first, a bit afraid of what I was doing; for I was behind their beloved Prince with my weapon out.  
I quickly point the blade upwards and focus everything into Galidus, the blade responded by entering Silver-Mode; causing snow and blue orbs of light to start falling around the stage I stood on.

"As you see my beloved people, we are not lying!" Akio gave me a smile and started convincing the townspeople.

The snow kept dancing around the stage, as I held Galidus on my side.

"To further demonstrate our honesty, Princes Ishi'Ryoku shall give us a vow."

The words made my eyes widen and my throat felt dry, but Akio was already giving me permission to speak.

I force myself to step forward as Akio gave me a few words of reassurance. "Under my name, I shall seek victory in saving both the kingdom of Yselz and avenging Xil" I shout with a bit of confidence, I decided to make the speech short and clear; I rather not make any mistakes.

I was answered by cheers and claps, finally, Akio gestured to leave the stage; for our job was finally done.

The wagons started getting pulled by large Aptonoths as the Knights continue to march north. As I step onto the road, I see a familiar figure approach me.

"Nice speech!" Raito teased me like usual.

"Please. Don't start," I give him a warning. "Let us just focus on marching."

"Very well, my Princess."

 _'This is going to take a few years out of my life isn't it.'_ I groan in agony.

* * *

Our small army soon reaches the north gate, which was heavily protected by golden armored knights.

"Sound the alarms, let their commander know we have arrived!" Akio shouts, and almost instantly a field horn was heard; causing the gates up ahead to open.

A man stood at the other side of the gate, his armor was very similar to Akio's; everything seemed the same except for the coloration, which was gold and red instead of Akio's black and gold armor.

"Ah! So the royal army has arrived at my territory." The man smirks and welcomes the lead group, which consisted of Akio, Yuki, two Black knights and myself.

"Greetings, Oki." Yuki greeted the man with a cheerful tone.

Oki was a tall man – clearly taller then Akio – and had black hair with light red eyes, he was also wielding a large spear with a red flag near the spearhead.

"We have come to bring you along, brother." I hear Akio.

 _'Brother? So the King has three children... I thought Zaleo was the captain of these golden knights, I guess he was simply the right-hand soldier.'_ I concluded as the siblings greeted each other.

"This here is Blizzard Ishi'Ryoku," A voice caught my attention. "She and her group of friends will be helping us on our journey," Akio informs his brother.

"Nice to meet you, Blizzard." Oki extended his hand towards me.

Accepting the handshake. "Likewise, Oki Yamada." No one seemed to correct me, so I can only assume I was spot on with my previous assumption.

Oki seemed to grin for a split second, before returning to a neutral expression. "Alright, let me grab my shield and we shall head out through this gate," Oki explained as he walked out of view.

 _'Did I just imagine that..? Well whatever, he's a lance user, surely effective when defending these walls.'_ I couldn't help but admire Yselz' military.

"Alright, everyone! Time to march again!" The order was sent throughout the ranks and we started moving once more as a unit.

Now beyond the gates; a road and an endless horizon of hills, cliffs, and mountains were now in full view.  
We were indeed heading down the large dormant volcano Yselz resided in, a long trip was ahead of us in order to reach Xil and scout it out.

"I have never been outside of Yselz' kingdom walls," Yuki said out loud next to me.

"I'm sure you find the world more beautiful then." I decided to continue the topic, just for a pass time.

"Being honest... I'm a bit nervous, but I can't take enough of this view." She replied happily.

"I see, the view is indeed beautiful, but I'm afraid I can't feel exactly the same as you."

"Ah, how so?"

"I have seen such views countless times, I guess you can call me spoiled."

Yuki let out a small laugh. "You're correct, someone like you would find this type of thing normal."

"I, however, completely understand you. These type of views and other scenes of nature, remind us, Hunters, how beautiful the world is."

"My brother said how wise you were... He was indeed right, I have much to learn." Yuki was asking to be friends with her own words.

"Maybe on this trip, we can create a bond then." I smiled and accepted.

Yuki returned the smile. "I look forward to it, Huntress."

 _…_

The march was a difficult one, the knights had never wandered away from Yselz' protection; causing us to march a bit slower and with caution.  
Akio tried to reassure them along the way, saying how us Hunters would protect them with ease; but with little to no proof, the Knights kept walking with caution.  
However, we soon reached the foot of the volcano around dusk fall and we started setting up camp.

"The mountain shall protect us from cold winds and snow; hurry up everyone, we have little time to waste!" Oki barked orders as the entire armada was at work.

"Blizzy!" Jenny hugged me as she finally was able to see me properly. "I couldn't see you all day!" She pouted as she took my hand and took me to everyone's location.

"Sorry, the front group kept me busy." I apologize to Jenny as I spot my friends setting up camp.

"Well, you better eat and spend the night with us; then I'll accept your apology." The blonde smiled while being playful

"Alright," I shrug in defeat as I reach the campsite.

"Hey Liz, can you get some firewood; we'll be working on the tent," Lucas said as he noticed me.

"Yea, take the Deviljho with you, she full of energy at the moment," Aegis added.

"Grr, I'll hurt you!" Jenny was ready to pounce on our third in command.

"Come on Jenny, let us go get the wood; so we can get food ready even faster." I grab her attention easily with the word _'food'_.

"Okay!"

"I'll be cooking for everyone this time." I took on the idea of cooking since I had plenty of experience with it.

"Y-You will!?" Raito shouted upon hearing this, everyone looked at him in surprised. "What..? Wait... Don't tell me. None of you have experienced Ryoku's cooking before!?"

I giggled. "No, they haven't," I simply took Jenny with me after saying that.

The tent was fairly large, I have to admit; the boys did a nice job. It had a section for the guys to sleep in and gave me and Jenny another section of privacy, of course, we'll be sharing the mattresses due to limitations.

As for our small campfire and food.

"Liz, your cooking is out of this world!" Aegis said happily.

"W-Why have you never told us," Jenny was sitting next to me, staring at her empty plate with dull eyes and emotionless face. "Oh... The food is gone." She muttered quietly.

"I-Its nothing," I said shyly. "Are you okay, Jenny?"

The blonde blankly stared at her plate, this made Lucas laugh. "Jenny's gone, and I think finishing her triple serving and not being able to get more is affecting her."

"Well, I think we shall all get some rest..." My eyes wandered for a bit, a couple of knights were already patrolling the area with their torches, and Raito had already gone to bed.

Lucas and Aegis nodded and stood up, taking everyone's plates in the process. "We'll go clean these up, you two can go ahead," Aegis said casually.

"Thank you," I got Jenny to stand up, who was still in her trance. _'Luckily she falls asleep easily with a full stomach.'  
_  
It was a rather peaceful night, it was extremely quiet other than occasionally hearing footsteps from the night-watch outside.

Jenny had broken out of her dazed state and laid down on the bed, while I was taking off my armor.

"Lucas said that we'll be walking for two days, maybe even more," Jenny said in a low tone

"Apparently so... We also have to defend everyone." After taking off my black stocking, I joined Jenny.

"I hope, no one gets hurt," Jenny's voice was getting quieter.

"I won't allow it." I give my last reassurance for tonight.

"Careful, moth-..." The rest of her sentence was impossible to make clear, for how quiet it was, but I could hear her soft breathing.

 _'Guess she has finally fallen asleep...'_ I decided to catch up to her and focus on sleeping.

 _…_

* * *

 **AN: Man, it has been awhile! Well, hopefully, we can get the next chapter up soon! (Was working on an Original creation for those who are curious as to why I haven't updated this story) As for the Kinsect part, man, it has been a running joke that Capcom steals my ideas - since I wrote this story (The Alpha Version) long before Generations or Cross was out... This is a 4U fanfiction after all!  
** **I'm glad the Kinsect has a built in wide range, just wish It didn't make me look like a unoriginal writer, haha! (Don't even get me started on the Blue spirit gauge Longsword is getting).**


	8. Chapter 8: Remnants Of Old

**Disclaimer: In no way do I own the Monster Hunter Series, all content goes to their rightful owner.**

 **Edit: Reupoloaded, apparently it was completely in bold for mobile device users - hopefully this fixs the issue.**

* * *

 **Blizzard's POV  
**  
My eyes flutter open as I let out a small yawn before I was able to get up; I quickly felt a weight on my torso region, causing me to look down and find a sleeping Jenny.  
She was snuggling me and showed no signs of waking up, so I decide to look around and find a way out of this situation. After finding zero solutions I let out an audible sigh and decided to wait for Jenny to wake up on her own, I didn't want to disturb her slumber for I would had felt bad.

I decided to recall the events of yesterday, how the knights were marching with fear, how I was forced to be called a princess, and the new arrival of Oki who was another Prince of Yselz.

 _'We'll have to march forward with greater speed than yesterday,'_ A sudden surge to start marching filled me, causing me to gather the courage and shake Jenny off of me.

Jenny showed small signs of waking up, and in the end, she sat up and let out a loud yawn.

"Morning." I greet her.

"Morning, Liz..." Jenny was rubbing her eyes with one hand, while she sat on the bed.

I got ready and put on all of my armor, strapping Galidus on my waist in the process. "I'll be heading out early, get the boys ready when you finish getting ready," I tell her this as I step out of the large tent.

 _'First things first, find Akio and get his men ready; wasting daylight is foolish...'_ My mind was racing with tactics and solutions, something that I never felt in a long time.

Before this journey, I would never plan ahead; letting fate carry me and usually depend on Raito when it came to surviving. When I think about it now, I could have easily kicked myself and called my past self a complete idiot.

"Whoa, careful there!" A young man wearing black armor caught me before I bumped into him.

"Oh, I'm deeply sorry." I apologize quickly and give him a small bow.

"It's not a problem, Princess Ryoku."

"Lady Ryoku," I correct him and extend my hand, which he took, once I looked at the man's face, I realized who it was. "Oh, Leo King!"

"Ahaha, I thought you forgot about me already for a second there," The man was about my height, skin color is tannish, hair is long and curly and was a graying black color, had blue eyes and was narrow but not skinny. It was indeed the same Knight Aegis fought, the same one who can dispel elements and use it against his opponents.

"How could I forget such a talented fighter," I smiled lightly as I let go of his hand.

The man lets out a small chuckle and nods. "May I ask why milady was distracted by her own thoughts?"

"I was just planning on speaking with Prince Akio."

"I see, I can escort you to him."

"That would be nice of you." I take him up on the offer.

The man nods and starts walking ahead of me, with his signature spear strap on his back.  
 _'Surprised how different the usage of elements is when it comes to Yselz...'_ I think to myself as we headed towards the campsite where supposedly Akio resided in.

We soon reach our destination, standing in front of a large tent; Leo gestured to enter, upon entering I instantly spot the royals looking upon a large table with a map.

Akio was the first to notice us. "Glad you could join us Ryoku." he greets me, gesturing to sit down.

I pass up on the offer and decide to get right into business. "Akio, I suggest we depart as soon as possible."

Akio looked surprised at first and looked at Oki, who was smiling. "I told you, moving out would be a smart move," Oki said this upon locking eyes with Akio.

"May I ask for a reason?" Akio asked me with narrowed eyes.

"Look around us Akio, everyone around here is either a full-blood or similar to one... Monsters are mostly nocturnal, we're at a clear disadvantage during the night; both from the cold and not being able to see clearly." I speak my reasoning, either way, Akio must obey me, or I WILL leave Yselz.

"Brother, she isn't incorrect; I know pushing our men further will cause stress, but they are soldiers that have been trained for this." Oki backed me up with eyes of approval.

Akio for the longest time stood there with his eyes closed, thinking deeply about our next move.

Suddenly Akio reopens his hazel eyes. "Yuki," he said with a serious tone. "Gather our men, we're moving out."

* * *

"Ah so that's the reason why we are marching so early," Raito said this while marching next to me.

I had finished explaining what had happened in the morning, now we were heading towards a large abandon fortress that was highlighted on the map; it would be a few hours away from Xil.

"Yes, I also suggested to Akio that we, the hunters, should walk ahead of the knights." I look back for a second, luckily the knights were marching faster and full of confidence with us at the front.

"I guess it's easier to see us protecting them now," Raito let out a small chuckle "Bit of cowards aren't they."

"I don't expect them to help us, I'm only hoping for them to make defenses or base camps for us."

"Ouch, that was bit harsh." I couldn't tell if Raito was joking or defending them.

"Raito, I been thinking lately." I made sure the dynamic trio wasn't near us. "I wanted to properly thank you somehow."

"Excuse me?" Raito eyes widen a bit.

"This is our last adventure together, so I feel like I should thank you for helping me for so long."

Raito smiled and put his hands behind his head, walking in a weird matter.

"Let me walk you home."

The answer was so weird, that I wasn't expecting it at all. "Pardon?"

"Back to Pokke, you said you would go back to your hometown after retiring," Raito said with a grin.

"That's all?" Surely he wanted something more, I mean he been working for me for over a year now.

"Hey, don't get me wrong; I'm the one who decided to help you. Ryoku, saving my entire village; is like saving my life one million times over." His eyes were shining with happiness.

 _'If I didn't know how honest and straightforward Raito was, I would assume he was joking...'_ I nod and take in his words.

"That is my wish, I would love to make sure you get home safely and have a proper goodbye."

"May I then ask one final favor" I voice out.

"Anything, my good friend."

"If I die, make sure my body gets to my father; I failed to retrieve my brother's body, so I would want my father to at least see me in some shape or form..."

"I decline," I stared at him after he refused but he quickly spoke again. "I won't let you die and that's final."

I tilt my head for a bit and then I let out a fit of giggles. "Thank you." I smile as I stare into his eyes.

"Hey, don't thank me, we got each other back," Raito when silent for a bit but his eyes lit up. "Hey, before you leave to Pokke; mind visiting my village? I'm sure my brother and everyone would like to see you."

"Hmm, sure why not." Our conversation died down and we fell silent, however, this wasn't out of the norm; both Raito and I appreciated some silence. _'You're such a naive person, Raito... Death has no favorites in this world. It waits for us the day we are born, with open arms.'_

"Oh, by the way, shouldn't we get you a new set of armor?" Raito asked me out of the blue.

"Whats wrong with my armor?" I look down at myself, noticing a few scratches that I would have to fix later.

"It's all old and torn, plus I think you have grown out of it by now."

"B-But, I..." I know he was right, but I made this armor with my brother. "It's just that..," I felt a hand hold my shoulder, stopping me from walking.

"I know those eyes, you need not tell me of your reasoning; but for your safety, its time to get a new armor set." Raito was giving me the little push I needed.

"Alright..," I take a deep breath and I start marching forward once more.

We were currently walking up-hill, apparently, once we reach the peak we'll have a full view of the landscape once more. Large trees were occasionally next to the natural path we were taking, giving us some cover against any flying wyverns; however, I also noticed some burnt down trees as well.  
I decided to concentrate on scaling this large incline instead, my blood was sadly still low from fighting Akio, so I was having a hard time breathing.

"Heh, I would carry you; sadly that would result in us falling and rolling down the hill." Raito decided to joke a bit.

"Sorry, I still feel a bit ill," I mutter as I was feeling the effects of fatigue. "But I appreciate being called fat." I joked back.

Raito chuckled. "Please, you know very well I was referring to how weak I am."

"I know," I didn't say anything else after a canister appeared in front of my face.

"Have some water," Raito hands me the canister. "Pull up your hair as well."

I let out an audible sigh of relief as I take a swig of the cold water that was in the canister, I gave it back to the man and pulled my hair up into a ponytail.

"I really just prefer the cold..," The others were insane, I have no clue how they handle this heat with such ease.

"I know how you feel," Raito chuckled. "Also, when will you cut that sea of hair."

"First my armor and now my hair?" I narrowed my eyes. "Seems like someone is very controlling of my appearance."

"But of course! A brand new year calls for a brand new look!" He then points at my head. "You also don't like wearing headbands, so cutting your hair will get rid of that problem."

"I'll cut it tonight, getting to the abandoned fortress is the first priority."

"Nah, I say cut it right now."

"What?" I looked back at him a bit annoyed at this point.

"You usually forget things before bed," He smirked.

"Surely you must be joking," I question his sanity.

"Do I ever joke?"

"Yes, yes you do; and you do it all the time." If I was showing signs of anger, Raito didn't notice.

"I'm talking about a serious matter, but I was joking about the _'right now'_ so calm down." He laughed it off as he was done teasing me.

"Sure..." I roll my eyes, but I soon notice that we reached the peak of this forsaken hill.

"Is that the fortress?" Raito muttered, causing me to look where he was staring.

"Yup, let's wait for the rest of the army at the front of it."

A loud roar disturbs the air around us, it was high pitch and aggressive, a roar coming from...

"A flying wyvern!" I yell out the warning, soon the ranks behind us start running towards the fortress; most likely orders from Akio and Oki.

"Liz!" I look back and see Aegis and the rest of our group running towards me.

"Locate the monster!" I command while we all make a circle, covering each other back while searching the skies.

"North-west! Silver Rathalos spotted!" Lucas yelled, we all turned and saw the wyvern fly into the nearby clouds.

"The fortress... Shit, it's a nesting ground." Aegis spoke to us as he took his Gun Lance out and started loading ammo into it.

"Raito, explain the situation to Akio; keep his men inside and create a safe heaven for the injured." I quickly gave orders, Raito responded by dashing towards the fort.

"What now!?" Jenny was hiding behind Aegis with her hammer out.

Looking up at the skies, Rathalos was zooming around our position; it was roaring, giving us final warnings of leaving its territory. "Everyone, take cover behind Aegis' shield!"

"Anyone has a plan?" Aegis said while protecting us.

"Simple, we kill it." Lucas was more than ready.

"I can agree to that!" Jenny showed signs of excitement.

"Incoming!"Aegis shouted and I steeled myself.

The Rathalos picked up on speed but started igniting his mouth.

"..!" I gasp as I notice what was happening, huge fireballs were raining from the sky.

We all hide under or behind Aegis' shield as the balls of flames crashed against the ground and set the grass around us in flames. One of the fireballs got a direct hit on the shield, but Aegis took the blow with ease.

"Alright, get up! It ceased fire, but it's flying down towards us." Aegis spoke with confidence as he covered us.

I stood up and took a few feet away from everyone else, careful not to step into the fire around us; the Rathalos had limited our movement, but not for long...

I grab the hilt of Galidus and draw the blade, causing it to glow with life and summon its traditional snowflakes.

"Hold your ground till the fire dies out!" We just had to wait for the flames to run out of fuel.

"Target is landing!" A male voice shouted.

The Rathalos soon landed on the ground and started dashing at Aegis, who parried the bite and shot it in the mouth.

Rathalos leaped back into the air and shot a fireball at Aegis, luckily he had his shield up and ready.

"Back him up, Jenny!" I bark the order as I ran to the wyvern from behind.

Our energetic blonde used Aegis as a springboard and smacked the Rathalos right on the head, causing them both herself and the wyvern to fall to the ground.  
This Rathalos, however, managed to catch itself and landed on its legs and started spinning around; causing all of us to duck under the tail or retreat.

"Blizzard! As one!" Lucas shouted as he ran ahead of me, I didn't hesitate and started dashing; we both dodged the armored tail and landed a few blows on its legs.

Rathalos let loose a fierce roar, which made me flinch in pain as my ears were left in a ringing state; however, I fought through the pain and landed a strong fade slash, allowing me to re-position myself away from its attack range.

It quickly turned around and tried to bite me, but I dodged out of the way with grace.

"Leave her alone you bastard!" A loud blast was heard, Aegis had landed a Wyvern-Fire on its legs; causing the Rathalos to trip onto the ground.

Jenny took full advantage of this and hit a powerful Rock Thrower on its head, causing the Rathalos to stand up by force. "Got him!" The blonde shouted as the Wyvern recoiled back in a dazed state.

This made me smile, and I thought the Wyvern had gotten knocked out, but I soon spotted flames igniting inside of its mouth and noticed the danger that was about to come.

"Aegis cover Jenny!"

He quickly shielded her from the Fireball as Rathalos retreated to the skies, with a single back hop.

"Regroup!" Lucas ordered as he rushed towards the center of us.

"Nice engagement everyone, keep up the good work," I said as we kept eyes on the wyvern, who was circling us in the skies.

"Hey!" Raito voice was heard and soon after he was next to us. "Keep the Monster distracted, they're building Ballistas and setting cannons as we speak!"

"Good, guess they aren't useless after all," Aegis spoke for us.

"The Rathalos is coming back down!" Jenny shouted.

 _'I hope Raito remembers our promise... He better protects everyone and not just me.'_ After thinking that, I fall back into a battle stance.

The large beast shook the ground once more as it landed a few feet away, from afar it looks small, but it easily overshadows.

"We should try mounting it," I suggested as Aegis stood ahead of us; ready to stop any attacks.

"Alright, I'll get the mount; I can create two handles with my dual blades with ease," Lucas spoke with confidence and no one disagreed with the idea, so we all silently agreed to create an opening for the mount.

Rathalos charged forward. "Got him!" Aegis dashed forward and blocked the wyvern head on, we had to move out of the way as our Gun Lancer being dragged back by the force.

"I'll prevent it from moving!" Raito used Arashi' lighting abilities and paralyzed Rathalos where it stood.

"Thanks!" Aegis shouted and started blasting the head with his shots, all while Rathalos whimpered in pain.

"Jenny, get Lucas up there!" I ordered the two to cooperate, luckily they work together amazingly while hunting.

With little to no words, Lucas jumped onto the blunt end of Jenny's hammer; allowing her to launch him up into the air towards Rathalos, at the same time Raito stopped the electricity around it.

"Got him!" Lucas successfully took a hold of its back, causing the wyvern to shake around violently.

I took the chance to breathe, Aegis was re-loading and Jenny was waiting anxiously for the head to drop into her territory.

"Ryoku let us aim at the tail," Raito suggested.

I changed Galidus into a halbert. "Alright, follow me!" We stood near the Rathalos who was still thrashing around.

The creature strength gave away and dropped to the ground, Lucas broke his fall with a roll and we all dashed towards the tail.  
We took turns as we slashed at the same area of the previous attack, each strike cutting deeper and deeper into its flesh.  
Raito did a vertical overhead final spirit slash, causing Arashi to enter Silver-Mode, he moved out of the way and gave me enough time to stab my weapon into the tail and spin it in place, I turned around; pulling the weapon above my head, however, Galidus still stayed in Silver-Mode after that spirit slash.

 _'I haven't unlocked its second stage...'_ I curse to myself as Rathalos stood up, pain evident in its angered roar.

The tail was bleeding harshly, which meant blood was being sent everywhere when it started spinning around.  
I also noticed that the scales on its head were wounded and broken, the scales around its neck were scorch black.

 _'Nice work you two.'_ I smile as I spot Jenny taking cover behind Aegis, it was only during hunts when I realized how mature and united we were.

Silver Los did a Pink Rathian-like flip and launched itself into the air, the flip was enough to defend and position itself; allowing it to attack with fireballs once more.

The remaining grass around us was set to flames, eliminating some of our mobility once more.

 _'I need to harm those wings and cause it to experience uneven flight...'_ The Rathalos was currently rampaging with fly-by claw attacks, just like a hawk. Those claws are incredibly dangerous, for they are packed with a powerful poison, preventing it from flying would eliminate that danger almost entirely.

"Raito, cover me!" I spin Galidus and transform my weapon into a bow. "I'll show it how strong we really are..."

The air around me snowed, and a vortex of wind was swirling towards a single point, creating an Ice arrow. Rathalos noticed the high amount of element being created and took aim at me, Raito noticed this and stood in front of me. "Like hell, I'll let you hurt her!" He readied himself.

"FIRE!" A voice was followed by the sound of cannons shooting, Rathalos was bombarded with large explosions, but it wasn't enough to make it fall – The monster quickly turned tail and was heading to the skies.

I took a deep breath, a frosty cloud appeared upon exhaling. "I won't let you leave," My fingers let the arrow fly, and I watched the arrow of light pierce the air and hit Rathalos' left wing dead on.

Raito cheered as we saw the Wyvern spiral out of control, heading straight to the ground. "You did it, Ryoku!"

"No time for celebrating, charge!" Galidus turned into a sword as I jumped over the patches of fire and approached the fallen Rathalos, who was barely able to get up on its feet, trying its best to defend itself by spinning and biting.

I dodged under his tail once more. "Someone, get that tail off of him!" Blood splattered across my face, blinding my left eye in the process. _'D-Damn it!'_ It stings like hell as I did my best to rub it off, but my vision turned cloudy before going completely blind.

A shout was heard, it was from Aegis from what I could tell. "Got the tail!" I looked with my unharmed eye, and saw just in time to see Rathalos' tail being blasted off – Aegis had stabbed the Gun Lance into the wound we had created and pulled the trigger.

Once more a fierce command was heard "FIRE!" huge amounts of cannonballs were shot into the air, but Rathalos dodged them all with ease, it fought back by shooting the fortress with its fire attacks, most likely destroying some of the cannons.

"Liz, are you alright?" Raito ran up to me and held my chin, looking at my eye.

My vision was returning, but it was still blurry. "Y-Yeah, am fine..!" I watched Rathalos change directions and looked at the fortress. "Aegis!"

Aegis saw what was going on. "They got its aggro now!" Aegis cursed under his breath as he started dashing to the stone building.

"He going to protect them, everyone takes a quick break, we can't do anything to help them!" Raito splashed water on my face, which surprised me for a bit.

Jenny was sharing a cool drink with Lucas, while I let Raito treat my eye. "Feels better?"

I rub them for a bit and blink a few times. "Yeah, it's better now, thanks." I turn and watch the fortress being bombarded by fireballs.

"That stupid coward! Get down and fight me like a man!" Jenny was shouting at the top of her lungs, she was making herself seem large by holding the hammer up high; which did make the Rathalos re-aggro to us.

We all dodged to the side as It flew passed us and landed in front of the fortress, which Aegis was defending. The Rathalos showed no interest in him, and started walking slowly to the four full-bloods.

Its eyes were glowing with pure rage, flames pouring out of its mouth like wildfire.

"We don't have a shield, careful everyone," I mutter as it approaches.

Rathalos pulled its head back and started inhaling large amounts of oxygen.

My eyes widen in fear. "Spread out!" We all run in different directions as the Wyvern shot three large cluster flames, the radius of attack was incredibly huge; such a move was only known to be used by Rathian, but this Rathalos somehow lived long enough to learn it.

I ducked as the blast narrowly missed me, as I pushed myself back onto my feet I saw Jenny fighting it head on, but a barrier of fire was blocking me from helping her.

"Screw it! I need to help her!" I dashed into the fire as fast as I could and reached Jenny's side.

A few embers lingered on my armor and other areas – including the ends of my hair – but I ignored the pain, my body luckily coated itself in Ice and prevented the fire from harming my skin.

"I'll freeze its legs, go for the head!" I ran ahead as I knew Jenny heard me, but Silver predicted our movements and flew into the safety of the skies.

"Damn it!" Jenny cursed.

I took the time to look around us, trees were set ablaze and the skies were dark; the smoke was also starting to be a problem, for the Rathalos was using it as camouflage.

A light was seen from the corner of my eyes and I felt someone tackle me to the ground.

Jenny had tackled me to the ground and we dodged a fireball. "It's attacking from above again." She said while we quickly stood up and covered each other back.

 _'My senses are failing me... I must be exhausted, adrenaline is the only thing keeping me alive.'_ The arrow I created had drained a great amount of energy.

"Look out!" Jenny's warning was enough to make us leap to the side and dodge another attack.

"The attack came from our right!" I yell as I assume north is in front of us, Rathalos should be passing it, flying on the East side... now the south.

"Incoming!" A fireball from behind was aiming at us yet again, which we dodged once more.

"I know its position, follow me closely!"I run straight to Lucas and Raito who were ready to defend themselves.

"Ryoku, we are losing this battle if this keeps up!" Raito said this while pointing Arashi at the sky, sending a bolt of lighting that sadly didn't hit anything.

"Aim north!" I point ahead, which Raito nods and sends a bolt towards the destination I pointed out.

A roar was heard and the skies for a split moment went silent; suddenly Rathalos dived into our field of vision, charging right for us.  
I tumbled forward and slide onto my knees with Galidus pointing up, cutting the Rathalos' underbelly as it flew past and above me.  
As the monster landed, it fell down and landed on its stomach; but it soon got up with a small limp.

"Aim at its legs, Lucas!" He responded with an _'Of course, Vice!'_ and did a spinning somersault towards the monster's left leg, successfully making the Rathalos lower its head.

Jenny was waiting patiently as its head was lowered into her attacking range, she smacked it on the side and forced it to fall onto the ground; followed by a ground slam and finished it off with a Rock Thrower.

Rathalos recoiled from the impact and stood up forcefully, almost falling on its back.

"Go Ryoku!" A large bolt landed on Rathalos, keeping its place with its wounded neck exposed.

I ran with all my might as I held Galidus near my side, letting it slide on the ground.

Memories of Akio's technique flashed before my mind, how he performed a powerful shockwave, he named it – "Ground slash!" I shouted the copied technique as I felt Galidus' weight increase.

I swung the blade upwards, a wave of ice crystals erupted from the ground and pierced Rathalos torso, and wings. The crystals started glowing before they all erupted with great force, sending shards of ice flying everywhere, causing Rathalos wounds to spread open severely.

The Wyvern shakily faced me with dying eyes, mouth igniting once more. I jumped into the air and slammed my Great Sword on its skull. "Just..!" I held it overhead again and slammed it down once more. "DIE ALREADY!" The corpse went limp, but anger was coursing through my veins. "DIE!" I slammed my weapon down again, and again...

My arms grew weak as I held my weapon up again. "Ryoku," I felt Raito's hands stop me.

Rathalos showed no signs of getting back up, as the ground around it started absorbing the spilled blood.

After a moment of silence, numerous amounts of victory cheers and whistles were heard; specifically from the fortress.

Galidus reverted back to its unawakened state. "W-What..?" I had no idea what just happened. "How did I lose myself in anger?" I muttered to myself softly.

Raito heard this but decided to stay quiet.

"Looks like we'll be having Rathalos meat tonight!" Aegis joked to himself as he walked over to us, he was unharmed luckily, even after running up ahead on his own to protect the Knights.

After taking a few steps back from the dead wyvern, I sat on the ground with a confused but exhausted expression. _'Why did I go that far...'_ All these years of training myself, and honing my emotions.., did that somehow get bottled up inside?

Raito stood nearby, keeping me company while also giving me some space to think. _'Whatever, it won't happen again,'_ I looked at the swordmaster. "Mind helping me get up?"

"Of course," He smiled while extending a hand, which I took.

"We should rest, the night shall be a great feast with this guy as our meal." I did my best to stay positive.

Raito nodded. "Indeed it shall."

* * *

Hours went by and the wild patches of fire had completely died down, along with the smoke. The cold chilly and clean air was finally back, along with the moonlight shining down upon many who sat near a large campfire.  
Rathalos' corpse was being clean and would be used as food for the entire camp. Luckily the fortress was large enough to give room for everyone to sleep inside for once, protecting us from the cold wind that the night would surely bring.

I myself was tending to Jenny's wounds while we bathed together in the newly assigned women's bathroom.

"Ouch!" Jenny let out a small yelp.

"Sorry," I was cleaning her thigh, for it had a nasty cut from who knows what. "This wouldn't be happening if you were careful."

"I can't help it, I didn't even notice I got hurt until after the battle." She made up an excuse.

"Sure, sure... Alright, I'm done; get some clothes on before you catch a cold." I stood up and made way to properly dress.

"Alright mom," Jenny said in a sarcastic tone.

"Mom?" I humored her a bit.

She let out a small giggle. "You act like one."

 _'I guess I do sometimes... But I wouldn't exactly know, or at least I think I wouldn't know.'_ I decided to drop the topic.  
"Ah, I just remembered something..." I look back at Jenny who was putting on her pants. "Jenny grab my carving knife and help me for a bit."

 _…_

Most of the knights went to bed while the night-watch stayed up and ate all of the remaining quality meat that Rathalos blessed us with.  
My friends stayed up for a couple of hours, but at the very moment, Raito and I were the only ones left awake in the middle of the night, alone in the remnants of the forest that luckily didn't burn down.

"This snow is rather thin don't you think?" Raito decided to act a bit grumpy due to staying up.

"At least there's some snow..." I responded back as we walked through the forest path that was slightly covered in snow.

"Shouldn't you be resting anyway? Why are we out here..." Raito muttered.

"Might I remind you that it was you who decided to follow me?"

I heard the man behind me trip a little. "It's dangerous... We saw a Silver Rath not so long ago, or did you already forget."

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't; remember that I usually forget things before bed." I shot back.

"Pfft, at least you didn't forget to cut your hair."

"I had Jenny help me," my hair was now a few inches above my hips and looked a bit wilder.

Raito chuckled. "To be honest, it fits you."

I ignored the comment. "Well, since we're alone for once; mind practicing a bit with me?" I ask Raito as we reached an open field.

"There nothing more that I can teach you."

"I simply want to lose myself in battle, it helps me forget certain thoughts that I wish to not duel with at the very moment." I unsheath Galidus, it blossoms with energy as the cold air around it started glowing, snowflakes floating around me with grace.

Raito let himself smile before taking Arashi by the handle and unsheathing it.

"Don't hold back Raito, I plan on going all out," I let my words get carried by the wind as I fall back into a combat stance, twisting my body and allowing my right side to lead as my left foot slid back by half a pace.  
I proceeded to raise my sword, holding it up and back in a high two-handed grip, blade angled down just slightly in a high guard; Raito had copy this same movement since he was the one to teach me it.

Arashi started unleashing violent sparks into the air, as Galidus was summoning flakes with orbs of lights around me.

"Can I truly not hold back?" Raito narrowed his eyes as he said this.

I nod slightly. "Give me a challenge."

The first steps towards each other went by in a flash, however, the quick and dangerous blows we aimed at each other suddenly slowed down, as if they were lost in time itself as each strike went by. The ice shards covered by electricity would float around us, ignoring gravity due to the magnetic effects Arashi was causing.  
In the end, our blade's element was protecting us from our opponent's element completely; only a direct physical blow would determine the victor of this match.  
I would occasionally use a side kick, but Raito would block it with his hand and direct it away from his body; allowing me to counter with the momentum and use a spin attack but to no avail.

"Try harder!" He blocks one of my strikes and locks our blades.

Sparks were causing me to flinch as they flew by my eyes. "Sorry to disappoint.., but –!" I kick his chest, allowing us to disengage.

"I have been giving it my all since the start!" I finished my previous sentence while gasping for air.

"Then I'm truly disappointed." He runs me down and we start slashing at each other once more.

At one point we both started our spirit combo, each attack deflecting the opponent's strikes as we race for the finish; two horizontal final slashes met each other as the air was pierced by the sound of metal colliding.

I leap forward and quickly turn around, only to be met by a now silver-glowing Arashi; I had managed to block the strike that was aiming straight at my neck.  
Raito used a low-kick, forcing me to leap into the air; but he then proceeded to hit me with the hilt of his weapon, forcing me to stumble backward.

"That actually hurt a little." I giggled as I went back into a defensive position.

"Sorry," He let out a smile but it soon went back into a frown.

As I was about to engage, I accidentally let out a yawn which made me stop in my tracks. "On second thought, let us call it a night," I say in a low tone.

"Tired already?" Raito facial expression went back to normal and Arashi instantly went back into slumbers, a strong bond between warrior and weapon; something I wish I had with Galidus.

"Yea, sorry to disappoint; but the battle with Rathalos and fighting late at night is harming my stamina." I sheath my weapon as so does he.

"Alright, let us head back." He walks past me and leads the way this time. "We have to get up early anyhow."

I follow behind in silence as we walk back to the fortress. _'There is something he wants to tell me, isn't there..?'_ My eyes stared at his back, his blade barely hiding the golden symbols with many ancient names of his ancestors who wielded Arashi before him.

 _'I hope he doesn't hide it forever, our job isn't exactly something that is fond of secrets; for they may never get the chance to be heard.'_ Whatever it was, I decided to not push Raito and remained quiet.

* * *

 **AN: A quick chapter this time~ Hope you all enjoyed!**


	9. Chapter 9: Fallen Kingdom

**Disclaimer: In no way, do I claim to own the Monster Hunter Series, everything goes to their rightful owner.**

 **AN: It has been awhile since I last uploaded, sadly, it is mostly due to my Hard-Drive having issues - I lost everything basically - and was forced to re-write the next two or three chapters blindly... Hopefully, I didn't miss anything from the original!**

* * *

The sounds of multiple horns disturbed my slumber abruptly, causing me to jump in surprise. _'Ugh, they just had to wake us up like this,'_ Many of the other girls who were sleeping in this large room also woke up in panic.

This made me stand up, something was clearly wrong if the knights were also surprised. I quickly got Galidus and started walking to the exit – before I entered the hall – someone called out to me.

"Liz! What is going on?" Jenny said while still in her casual sleep ware.

"Seems like the alarms went off, hurry!" I instructed the hammer user, who quickly turned to go get her weapon.

I dashed down the hallway and exit the fortress, I was greeted by complete chaos, a handful of knights were barking orders and running around. "Lady Ryoku!" Akio's voice quickly alerted me of his position on the far left side of this fort.

"Akio, mind filling me in?"

The Prince nodded with a nervous expression. "Our lookouts spotted another Wyvern in the skies, this one seems to be roaming behind the clouds while watching us carefully,"

At the mention of a Wyvern, I looked up at the skies and searched them thoroughly. "I want your men inside the fort then, we don't need them out here and I'm sure us Hunters are already getting up."

Akio didn't respond, which made me glare at him; funny enough, he was looking at me with raised eyebrows. "Will you be alright?"

A sigh left my mouth. "I'm fully aware that I lack armor, and to be honest, I rather not fight in these shorts and bandaged chest, but time is important here."

The Prince nodded and went off to relay my wishes, I looked at the skies once more. _'Figuring out what type of foe we're facing is crucial, if only it would show itself for a split –!'_ At the corner of my eyes, I saw something gleam brightly – it disappeared too fast for my eyes to track down.

"Vice!" I looked to my right – where the entrance was – everyone was standing there with a weapon in hand, however, they lacked most of their gear.

Lucas spoke up again. "What's going on?"

"A Wyvern has been spotted and is currently roaming the skies, I want all of you to scout the clouds and be on alert; our main objective right now is identifying what we're up against."

With a single _'Yes, ma'am!'_ they all grouped up and searched.

Another bright gleam caught my attention, but once again, disappeared behind the clouds. _'Damn it! I have an idea what it is, and I really hope I'm wrong,'_ Everyone was looking at the same spot I was, so I'm sure we all got the same hint.

"Yo," Aegis muttered. "Is anyone else scared of it being a Golden Rathian..?"

We all stood there, holding our breath. "Yeah, and I'm starting to think it is one," I said in a hushed tone.

My eyes shifted back to the landscape in front of us, barely any trees were left from our battle against the King of the skies, and his corpse was still dismantled a couple of meters away from us. _'She's looking at her mate,'_

"Gold Rathian identified!" Jenny shouted, which made us all look at the skies. "I saw it for a split second, without a doubt I saw her golden scales."

"Alright, everyone! You know the drill!" I said while walking towards the open.

Jenny took my right side, while Lucas was on the left. "I got your back, Ryoku..." I heard Raito's voice behind me.

Aegis took the front, Silver Gun Lance gleaming with pride as the clouds started to dissipate, revealing not only a golden sun but the Golden Queen herself, along with it.

The Rathian roared at us, sensing how we were challenging her by getting close to the Rathalos' corpse.

Upon extending my arm – that was holding Galidus – my weapon lit up with life, summoning the icy blade that goes along its form. Rathian leaned forward, head aiming towards us, as she descended to the earth.

"Move out of the way!" Aegis alerted us as the Wyvern had too much speed, she was planning on ramming into us.

I close the gap between Aegis and myself, helping him hold his ground by standing behind him. "Everyone else, move!"

Rathian shook the ground as she landed and charged straight at us. "Hell nah!" Jenny stood next to me.

"Not on our watch!" Lucas and Raito said in Unison as they also took their own position behind Aegis' shield.

The blow was intense, and it was sudden! Everyone's feet got dragged back for a few inches, but we managed to hold our ground against the armored Queen after she lost all momentum.

Aegis started barking orders. "PUSH!" We walked forward – lifting the Rathian's head in the process – successfully forcing it to retreat.

The Wyvern growled, igniting her mouth in flames as it aimed more and more towards the skies, due to the shield pressing against her neck. "Keep it up!" Aegis shouted as he lifted his Lance and pointed the barrel.

Rathian moved her head to the side, breaking the deadlock and avoiding the Gun Lance's powerful explosion – It turned to the left – alarms set off as we all dodged, or blocked, the incoming tail attack.

"Spread out, Jenny and Aegis at the front," I shouted the orders as quick as I could. "Everyone else, attack the legs!"

"Look out!"

At the corner of my eyes, I saw an incoming attack, another Tail-Spin attack. Something clicked in my mind, as I remembered something... Everything was flashing through my eyes.

 _"Keep it up, Lizzy!"_ That nickname, my Brother was the only one that called me like that.

Memories of what I said were clear. _"I can't possibly dodge in such a way!"_

 _"Of course you can! It's about using your foes strength against them, dodge this!"_

Storm slashed from the side with his Great-Sword.

I grit my teeth and swung my right leg to the left, spinning my body in a three-sixty while lowering my body to the ground as I backed away, I was in a runner's position now. The courageous dodge was hard to pull off properly, due to the follow-up attack having a small window, but I had managed to duck under Storm's blade -

No, I had managed to dodge the Rathian's tail with the help of my Brother's technique, his own type of reckless but powerful combat style. I sprinted forward with my sword in hand, Galidus resonated with my spirit as I did a vertical slash against the armored leg.

Sparks flew - as my blade was not sharp enough - I ignored the recoil and went into two more spirit slashes. _'I'm going for it!'_ Rathian spun around and went for a bite attack, aiming straight for my neck.

I pulled off my Brother's dodge once more, weaving underneath its neck. "I got you now!" Another vertical spirit attack, Rathian felt the blow and quickly went for a second bite.

All of my friend's shouts could be heard, and I was sure Aegis and Jenny were surprised the Wyvern ignored them completely. The voice I heard above everyone, however, was Raito's. _'I guess my weapon is too strong for aggro management.., ha, how pathetic!'_

I went for two spirit slashes, one of them slid the Rathian's attempt of biting away from me, the last one managed to nick her neck. _'Thank you Raito, for teaching me..!'_ My next attack was the Final-Slash, smacking the Queen on her knee straight on.

This made me feel the vibration from the impact - making my arm go slightly numb - as I kept all my momentum and got out of harm's way. "Nice job, Liz!" Jenny complimented me.

"Careful, I didn't harm it that much," Rathian took the skies, roaring along the way. _'Wait, what? why is it taking to the skies?'_

The Golden Rathian just kept flying, until it disappeared behind the clouds. "It retreated," Aegis said casually.

"So we repel the monster.., good enough," I said with a bit of relief.

Lucas ran up to us, along with Raito, the latter speaking up. "What now?"

My eyes fell on the fortress, a bunch of Knights looked out the windows. "I believe we should move forward, the last thing we want is the Rathian attacking us again." 

* * *

The sun was now at its highest point, and it was constantly blazing down upon our necks. Most people wouldn't mind too much, but when it came to me, I honestly can't handle many desert trips or sunny days.

"I'm going to walk in the shade for a bit," I told Raito, who was walking beside me for now.

Raito nodded in understanding, already aware of how I feel under these conditions. "Just be careful,"

"I will," After that, I took a sharp left turn and headed to the tree-lines next to the path we were currently taking.

Apparently, the road was used for many convoys that would bring merchandise from one kingdom to the other, so I would assume these trees were used for cover when bandits planned on stealing these items if they were brave enough to travel in the wilderness that is.

While walking under the shade, I took a drink of water and took a couple of deep breaths. _'Luckily things have gone our way so far,'_ The sound of a stick breaking made me unsheathe my weapon.

"Whoa, careful Milady," Oki said with a smile.

My eyes soften, and I sheathed Galidus. "Sorry, Prince Oki, I thought a Monster had sneaked up behind me."

The man chuckled. "Well I'm glad you don't see me as one,"

This made me inwardly tilt my head. "So why are you here?"

"I can ask the same, I was merely concern about your sudden disappearance."

"Ah I see," I smiled lightly, reassuring him. "I was taking a break from the harsh sun, I'm not fond of such climates such as these."

Oki nodded. "Good, I wouldn't want your gang of barbarians to run off, that would be dangerous."

At first, I didn't register what he said, but after a second or so, it hit me. "Excuse me..?"

"Oh nothing," Oki turned around and seemed to be getting ready to return to the army. "Just that a cowardly leader usually means that his or hers followers are merely rats running around, seeking profit and fame."

"Please tell me you're joking..," I muttered a bit annoyed.

Oki slightly glanced at me with a smirk. "Of course I am, I fully trust in your group, just like the previous few before you."

 _'Previous teams..?'_ Oki had already left, it was too late for me to question him any further. _'Does that mean the previous Hunters failed to accomplish this quest?'_

"What a complete jerk!" Raito's voice made me jump slightly.

"Fatalis! a little warning next time please," I said a bit annoyed at the sudden surprise. "Why were you eavesdropping anyways?"

Raito chuckled and shrugged. "I would be stupid to let you wander in the forest alone,"

I took a deep breath and relaxed as I let it out in a loud sigh. "What Oki said, I don't know what his true intentions were, but I do know that we aren't the first group to come over here apparently."

"What a cocky Prince, it makes me a bit annoyed, they should be grateful we are helping them in the first place," Raito said out of line with what I just told him.

I simply shook my head. "Let us just join the others..."

Both of us sped walk onto the road and headed towards the lead group, where the rest of my friends were.

"Vice," Lucas greeted me upon noticing us. "We're going up a hill soon, behind it should be Xil."

"Good," I walked past everyone and took the lead. _'Why are Oki's words bothering me, I feel like they had ill intentions behind them...'_

"Are you okay..?" At the corner of my eye, I saw Raito's black coat.

I nodded. "Yes, but I can ask the same to you."

"Pardon?" The man gave me a confused look most likely – as I looked ahead of us – we were walking up the hill now.

"For awhile now, I felt like you've been wanting to tell me something," I responded in an honest matter, there was no point in avoiding the matter.

Raito didn't respond, which made me turn slightly in order to stare at him. He seemed nervous and had a forced expression on his face, Raito was trying to act calm and collective.

"L-Liz," He finally said.

My eyes widen slightly. "Yes?" He normally never says my nickname.

"Mind if I tell you some other time?"

"Very well.., just know that things being left unsaid are dangerous for us Hunters, anything can happen out there." I reminded the Swordmaster as we finally reached the peak of the hill.

I received no answers from him, allowing me to look over the horizon... It was a huge grassy field with a few forts scattered around.

"We have reached Xil's lookout post!" Akio shouted from a few feet away, making a few knights cheer happily.

Yuki walked up next to me – opposite of Raito – and greeted me with a small wave of her hand. "Xil's Kingdom should be over the cliff, that's up ahead of this field."

"Really!? I want to see!" Jenny ran up ahead, followed by a worried Lucas.

"Careful, you two!" Aegis shouted before jogging after them.

Yuki giggled. "You should go see the place as well, us Knights will set up camp."

"Thank you," I said in appreciation. "Let's go Raito."

He flinched. "Ah, of course, after you."

 _..._

It wasn't long till we reached the edge of the cliff, the view was interesting at the very least. It was a large bay with a large Kingdom around it, sadly, it was abandoned and broken; many of the rooftops obviously had moss and other plant life, mother nature was already claiming back her territory.

"The fallen kingdom of Xil.., such a sad view," I muttered to myself.

"Can't seem to spot any creatures from here," Aegis pointed out while wearing his glasses. "Maybe we should head down and do a small expedition."

I nodded at the idea. "You're right, we should do that while the Yselian Knights build the campsite."

"But how do we get down there?" Jenny asked while getting too close to the edge for comfort, luckily Lucas pulls her away.

"A path leading down should be around here," The redhead said quickly before Jenny could protest for being pulled so suddenly. "Follow me."

We quietly walked behind Lucas, as he led us towards the east side until we finally found a downhill path that would lead us to the Kingdom's gates down below.

"So this place, it simply got overrun by Monsters?" Raito spoke up.

Everyone seemed to nod, but Lucas was the one to respond to it with words. "Looks like it, so I'm sure a few of them have made this place their home."

"Can monsters even live in harmony together?" Jenny asked in a confused tone.

"Sometimes," I said while skipping over a small hole on the road. "Most of them prefer not to hurt each other, it's too risky and many of them just rather not die in a random battle."

"I find it stupid how they love killing us instead," Jenny responded in an annoyed tone.

 _'What Syhr said, about how the Ancients injected dragon-blood into us, is most likely the main reason why they hate us.'_ The downhill path was on the side of this cliff, so naturally, the Kingdom was to my left, allowing me to glance at the old walls covered in vines and trees.

We were almost standing on sea-level, but I was already addressing in my mind how we would split up and search the area for any insight of what creatures lurk here.

"Aegis," I called out to the Gun Lancer – who was next to Lucas at the front – as we approached the gate. "Mind blasting the metal bars off with your weapon? They seem to be old and rusted, so an explosion should break it off its hinges."

Aegis gave me a thumbs up and took the lead, preparing his weapon. "Just give me a few seconds, stay back."

Everyone watched our third in command approach the rusted gate, he pointed the barrel of his Lance at one of the hinges, the click of his trigger was shortly followed by an explosion – we heard the gate squeak as it opened forcefully – Aegis gave us a smile.

"Good job," I complimented him before turning to the others. "Everyone, we need to split up into three different teams,"

Jenny gave me a confused look. "How is that even possible?"

This made me smile. "Jenny, go with Raito, Aegis and Lucas will be the other team."

They stared at me a bit confused – mostly because this meant I would travel alone – so I gave them a reassuring nod and turned to the collapsed gate. "Aegis, take the east, while Jenny and Raito will take the opposite side, we'll meet up at the center where I will be."

"Ryoku-" I was already expecting Raito to call out to me.

"That's an order, not a suggestion, this isn't a field trip; listen to what I say or leave." The way I said it, it was directed to everyone.

I kept walking after saying that. _'I don't want to be mean, but I can't always be nice during these dangerous expeditions, besides, I can easily handle myself – I'm just worried about them.'_

 _ **…**_

Everyone stood there in shock as to what Blizzard had said. "W-Well, we should follow her instructions," Aegis pointed out for the group, which luckily made them move into action.

"Yeah! Let's go Aegis, hopefully, we find some cool monsters out there," Lucas and Aegis walked happily next to each other, taking a sharp left turn, soon disappearing behind a couple of collapsed buildings.

Raito let out a sigh. _'This must be one serious quest if she's acting like that,'_ The Swordmaster failed to notice the little blonde, trying to get his attention.

"Gosh, if you're so distracted by her, just marry her already!" Jenny blurted out a bit annoyed, jumping up and down in front of Raito's point of view.

This caused the man to flinch. "And I'm stuck with you out of all people..." Raito narrowed his eyes at her.

Jenny simply sticks out her tongue. "Whatever, I prefer you over staying with Lucas and Aegis; those two never let me do anything," The hammer user was already walking, being closely followed by Raito.

"Hmm.., why is that?"

"Because those two always say I'm going to mess things up!" Jenny raised her arms in the air, to further express their explosive feelings.

Raito smiled. "Well, you do tend to make mistakes often," This made Jenny turn her head and give the man a death stare. "However, once you get it down, I see great potential in you."

Jenny's eyes soften as her mouth slightly open in surprise, she stood there dumbstruck as Raito walked past her.

"R-Really?" She asked the older man.

Raito chuckled. "You remind me a lot of my younger Brother, I have seen the natural talent you have with my own two eyes when we trained together with our bows. Full of mistakes at first, but you easily polish your instincts; that alone is considered a talent."

Jenny couldn't help but nod with a smile. "R-Right!" The two left to go do their own work.

 ** _..._**

Dust filled the air as a wooden door fell to the ground, a single Huntress entered the abandoned building that had caught her attention. _'If I can find a way up the balcony, I'll be able to reach a good viewing point...'_ Blizzard thought to herself while walking up the stairs.

Wood creaking with every step she took until they suddenly ended and lead to a dark hallway. _'I'll start with this room then,'_ A few steps forward, she reached for a doorknob and attempted opening the door, however, it was locked.

Liz unsheathed Galidus, and pointed the tip at the lock, before stabbing it and sheathing the blade in a quick motion.

 _'That should do it!'_ She smiled to herself while opening the door, revealing a worse for wear room... It had a large hole – missing an entire wall in the process – where the window should be.

The Huntress stood there, observing how the wood suffered countless cold and rainy nights, how this place, used to be blooming with life... She knew that a large creature was the only answer as to why such a place ended up like this, but yet, Liz couldn't pinpoint what it was and why they attacked here.  
Wet wood and a strangely sweet odor loomed the air, the light pouring through the hole would highlight the countless amount of dust particles in the air; every inch and corner of this place were lost in time.

"How sad..." Liz's eyes scanned the small area and noticed a chest under a collapsed pillar of wood.

She walked towards it, out of pure curiosity, hoping to find a journal or any evidence as to what happened to this room; maybe the previous owner left their last words on a piece of paper.

 _'Wouldn't hurt to check..,'_ I kicked the large log off the chest and bent down in order to open it.

At first, I struggled, but it finally gave away and allowed me to peek in– ! _'N-No...'_ I closed the chest as quick as I had opened it.

My eyes closed out of respect, but it was far too late... It was burned into my memories.., the skeleton of a child was in there. _'T-The poor child.., they must have been terrified and hid in there,'_ I slowly opened my eyes and stared at the large pillar of wood that had fallen on top of the newly found coffin. _'The rest is clear.., I must steel myself for now.'_

I stood back up and looked around the room once more, it was now obvious what this place was; the walls in this room were old, but I could tell that it was painted in a light coloring. _'This was a child's room...'_ My heartfelt as it was slowly crawling up my throat, the amount of doom and despair was choking me.

"Tsk' Damn it all," I took a step closer to the coffin and picked it up. "I'm going to give them what they deserve..!"

Her words echoed the room, they carried out her warmth and determination with every vibration, a promise that was aiming at this cruel world's throat. 

* * *

The small squadron of Hunters had already reunited and was heading back to the entrance they came from, however, Blizzard was still carrying the small chest – that was now dubbed as a coffin – which made the others a bit curious.

Specifically, Jenny. "Hey, hey, what's inside?"

"Nothing you need to see," Blizzard quickly protected the box by shifting it to the opposite side, away from the energetic blonde. "Aegis, just get on with it."

The brunette nodded in understanding. _'I can't believe she found a corpse... That alone is a miracle, usually, monsters leave no trace of a body.'_ Aegis pointed the Gun Lance into the ground, it wasn't long till the sound of multiple explosions filled the air.

Blizzard walked up to the newly made hole. "Thank you," She carefully placed the box inside, allowing Lucas and Raito to bury the hole with the help of a couple of bags filled with sand. _'Jenny is the most fragile one out of everyone here, even if she never admits it; countless times I could feel the intense aura of despair that Jenny emits upon being reminded of unjustified deaths.'_

Out of the corner of her eye, Blizzard saw that Jenny was well aware of what was going on. _'Jenny most likely caught on, I just don't want the image that I got, burned into her memories.'_

"Everyone, we're heading back to camp and resting up for the day; tomorrow will have another exploration, make sure to rest well."

No one complained, and moved out – heading back – with a solemn expression on their faces. Blizzard, not only wanted to achieve some information of what dangers lurk in Xil but also filled everyone with burning rage and desire to avenge the innocent lives that were lost. 

* * *

**AN: Next chapter will come shortly, as things finally click into place.**


End file.
